Seven bottled water suppliers have been called on to remove 'organic' claims from labelling and marketing material by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
According to the ACCC, organic standards acknowledge that water cannot be organic, so any claim that particular water is organic would therefore be misleading or deceptive.
Active Organic, Lithgow Valley Springs Organic, Nature’s Best Organic, Organic Australia, Organic Falls, Organic Nature’s Best and Organic Springs have been renamed and new bottles are making their way on to the market. An eighth supplier has withdrawn its product from sale.
"Credence claims, which represent that a product possesses a premium attribute, are a priority for the ACCC; particularly those in the food and beverage industry with the potential to influence consumers and disadvantage competitors,” ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
“Credence claims such as 'organic' can be used to justify higher prices and create a competitive advantage for the user. As such it is essential that they are only used correctly.”
A number of manufacturers argued that the word ‘organic’ was not a representation but part of the brand name, an argument the ACCC rejects.
“Manufacturers cannot hide misleading claims in their brand names,” Rickard said.
The ACCC said enforcement action was avoided though negotiations with the manufacturers.
