ACCC accuses Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat sunscreens of greenwashing over 'reef friendly' claims
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched federal court proceedings against Edgewell Australia and its US parent company, Edgewell Personal Care Company on Tuesday.
It claims more than 90 Edgewell products allegedly contained false and potentially misleading representations between 2020 and 2024.
The consumer watchdog alleges Edgewell Australia claimed the sunscreens were "reef friendly" because they did not contain oxybenzone or octinoxate.
These chemicals have been banned in some jurisdictions, including Hawaii, because of the damage they inflict on reefs.
However, the ACCC alleges the sunscreens contained other ingredients that either cause or risk causing harm to reefs including coral and marine life.
These ingredients are common UVA and UVB filters octocrylene, homosalate, Enzacamene (4-methylbenzylidene camphor), and Avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane).
The ACCC claimed Edgewell Australia and Edgewell PCCC were aware of scientific studies and other reports indicating at least some of these ingredients were known to "adversely affect" reefs.
But the consumer regulator alleged neither company commissioned testing of the ingredients or their impacts.
It said Edgewell Australia breached consumer law when it made the "reef friendly" claims about many Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat sunscreen products across websites, social media and catalogues.
Several Hawaiian Tropic products also included a logo on its packaging with the words "reef friendly" and an image of coral, the ACCC said.
Edgewell removed "reef-friendly" tags from its US products in 2020 but allegedly continued the branding in Australia until December 2024.
ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said Edgewell's claims about the environmental benefits of its products "had no reasonable or scientific basis".
"By engaging in this alleged greenwashing, we say Edgewell deprived consumers of the ability to make an informed decision," she said.
"[It] may have prevented them from purchasing a different brand of sunscreen that did not contain chemicals which risked causing harm to reefs."
Ms Lowe said the ACCC believed this greenwashing was "widespread" and risked misleading "a large number of consumers".
"The sunscreen products were supplied throughout Australia over a period of four years, including in large stores and online websites," she said.
"Businesses should not shy away from promoting the environmental credentials of their products.
"But they must be able to substantiate any claims, for example through reputable third-party certification or reliable scientific reports."
The ACCC said it is seeking penalties, declarations, injunctions, costs and other orders.
A spokesperson for the company's Australian arm said it would defend the lawsuit.
"Edgewell has fully co-operated with the ACCC throughout its investigation and firmly stands by the claims it has made," the spokesperson said.
This latest accusation comes just weeks after consumer group Choice found only four of 20 sunscreens it tested provided the SPF protection claimed on their labels.
The brands disputed the findings and said their own testing showed their sunscreens met or exceeded their SPF claims.
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