Kimberly-Clark supports Choice call for standard in “green advertising”
7 May 2008
Kimberly-Clark, makers of major consumer brands Kleenex® and Huggies® today strongly supported the Choice magazine call for mandatory implementation of the Australian Standard for “green” advertising (AS 14021).
“Too many claims made on tissue products packaging are vague, incorrect or unsubstantiated” said Kimberly-Clark spokesperson Ross Hearne.
“Consumers should be able to read a claim which is believable and be able to easily find further information to support packaging claims” says Hearne.
“As a company, Kimberly-Clark has been using this standard to internally assess all packaging claims for some years and providing supporting information on its company and brand web-sites as appropriate.” Hearne said
Hearne also called on Choice to maintain a similar high standard in its reporting that it demands of the consumer goods industry.
“In the recent article in Choice and subsequent press reporting, the example is quoted of Kleenex® tissue being misleading to consumers in saying ‘100% recycled board’ which refers to the box, not the tissues. The carton actually says “Carton is made from 100% recycled board”, an achievement which won Kimberly-Clark a major national packaging award in 2007.
“The claim is specific, factual and we refute the claim that this could mislead consumers” said Hearne.
Update
8 May 2008
Choice acknowledges inaccurate claim
The Australian Consumers Association magazine, Choice, has acknowledged that the claim made in an article citing Kleenex® tissue box labelling as an example of misleading labelling was incorrect.
As a result, the on-line article has had the claim removed and the print version in the next edition will also not make this claim.
For further information contact Ross Hearne, General Manager, Corporate Services.