Consumer advocates call for more regulation on household appliance 'greenwashing'
The CPRC wants a rating system for how repairable and durable appliances are. (Supplied: RDNE Stock Project)
In short:
Consumer advocates are calling for Australia to introduce a repairability and durability rating system for household appliances.
They say it could help consumers navigate "greenwashing" marketing and make more informed choices.
What's next?
France introduced a repairability rating in 2021, and is due to implement a durability rating next year.
Cost, capacity and colour are among the considerations you might make when purchasing a new appliance such as a washing machine.
But what you cannot easily discern is how long your shiny new purchase is likely to last or whether you can easily get it repaired, and consumer advocates want that to change.
The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) is calling for a system that rates how repairable and durable appliances are, saying the federal government needs to regulate the area more to help consumers navigate "greenwashing" at the point of purchase.
It says this would help shoppers make more informed decisions, support the transition to a circular economy, reduce environmental waste, and save money through better product choices.
Greenwashing is when a product or a company is made to appear more environmentally friendly than it actually is.
The issue has caught the eye of Australia's consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The ACCC made it an enforcement priority for 2024, and previously issued guidance for businesses making environmental claims.
'Marketing puffery'
The CPRC's mystery shop investigation investigated point of purchase marketing for more than 100 appliances, including fridges, washing machines, and split system air conditioners.
Consumer Policy Research Centre senior research and engagement advisor Marianne Campbell. (Supplied: Consumer Policy Research Centre)
It found two out of five products featured vague claims at the point of purchase, using terms such as "environmental", "energy smart technology," and "eco".
"All of this information was there without any backing evidence, making it really difficult for consumers to make meaningful and informed choices," the centre's senior research and engagement advisor Marianne Campbell said.
Melbourne Law School professor Christine Parker has led research into corporate greenwashing.
She said the federal government's energy star rating had been effective in informing consumers about which products were more energy efficient, but more needed to be done to help consumers make the best decision.
"Maybe a product runs efficiently and saves you a little bit of energy," Ms Parker said.
"But that doesn't mean it's overall an environmental product if it's going to stop working in a couple of years or you and you can't repair it."
She said it could be expensive or difficult to find parts to repair a product.
Christine Parker says consumers should ask lots of questions about repairability before buying a new appliance. (Supplied: Christine Parker)
"Appliances have got a lot of embedded carbon and other resources in them, and then if they just only get used for a couple of years and end up in landfill, then that's a real environmental problem."
Four out of five people told CPRC they would still rely on unclear green claims when making purchasing decisions, and almost half of the people surveyed thought those claims were checked by the government, or advertising standards.
"All of this information we call marketing puffery. It's vague and it's not substantiated," Marianne Campbell said.
"It can overwhelm the consumer and be a lot larger in terms of placement and size and colour than the small, modest energy rating."
Government urged to follow in France's footsteps
In its survey, the CPRC also tested public appetite for change, and its research found two-thirds of respondents supported the introduction of an independent, standardised rating system for product durability and repairability.
Both Ms Parker and Ms Campbell pointed to France as an example of how this country could operate such a system.
In 2021, France was the first European country to introduce a repairability index, a score that indicates how viable it is to repair different types of objects from smartphones to lawn mowers.
Next year, it will expand this to a durability index, indicating how long a product is likely to last.
France has repairability ratings for a range of products, including smartphones. (Four Corners: Nick Wiggins)
Ms Campbell recommended people do their research and bring a good dose of scepticism when heading out shopping.
"If you [see] the word eco, or efficient, dig a bit deeper, go online and see what information you can find to substantiate it," she said.
If Ms Parker was in the market for a new washing machine, she would have a whole list of questions up her sleeve.
"What are the environmental credentials of a product? How long is it likely to last? Can it actually be repaired, and are replacement components available?" she said she would ask.
The federal government does not have plans to put a rating system in place, but it has indicated "right to repair" reforms are on its radar, with plans to fast-track the adoption of international product safety standards as the first step.