ACCC fine Coles $61,000 over 'Helping Australia Grow' claims based on overseas produce
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has fined supermarket chain Coles over its “Helping Australia Grow” campaign, after investigators found that fruit and vegetables sold in the stores was imported from the USA and France.
Some produce had been grown in USA and France
The ACCC has fined Coles $61,000 for the infringement, which occurred in five stores across New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
“While this does not appear to be a case of widespread or systemic conduct, 'Helping Australia Grow' is a significant national campaign driven hard by Coles to advertise its fresh produce,” said ACCC chairman Rod Sims.
"Consumers should be able to rely on the accuracy of claims about food, particularly when they are prepared to pay a premium for products made in Australia.
"Misleading 'country of origin' claims can also have a significant impact on the competitive process and hurt the local economy. This is a lesson to all retailers that they need to take care when undertaking significant advertising campaigns to ensure consumers are not misled by those campaigns.”
In a statement Coles said it had not breached any labelling laws and paid the fines "as a matter of practical expediency to avoid a lengthy and costly legal action in defending our position."