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Cases / Plastic waste and recycling claims · Australia · 2021–2025

Clorox penalised AUD 8.25 million over GLAD 'ocean plastic' bag claims in Australia

Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
  • The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
What the record lacks: 1 none on record · 4 insufficient · 1 not measured · 1 unclear See the gaps

Bags marketed as containing ocean plastic were made from plastic collected on land, the sources say. The penalty was reported in April 2025, and the case bears on whether 'ocean plastic' claims match where the plastic came from.

What?
Clorox was penalised AUD 8.25 million over GLAD bags that were marketed as containing 'ocean plastic'. InDaily
Where?
Australia (sales); Indonesia (plastic collection) InDaily
When?
2021–2025 InDaily
Who?
Gained
  • Clorox — marketed about 2.2 million GLAD bags carrying the claim InDaily
Lost
None on record
Harmed
None on record
Why?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
Bags labelled 'ocean plastic' contained plastic collected on land, and a penalty followed. InDaily
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

InDaily reported on 14 April 2025 that Clorox was penalised AUD 8.25 million over GLAD bags marketed as containing 'ocean plastic' (InDaily, 2025).

The plastic in those bags had been collected on land, in Australia and Indonesia between 2021 and 2025, according to the same report (InDaily, 2025).

About 2.2 million units were involved (InDaily, 2025).

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    1. 2025-04-14Outcome not on record
      GLAD 'ocean plastic' bag penalty
      Federal Court of Australia · Civil · → Clorox (GLAD)

      Penalty of AUD 8.25 million over 'ocean plastic' claims on GLAD bags, reported 14 April 2025. InDaily

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

    Court

    • Unclear GLAD 'ocean plastic' bag penalty: outcome not on record.

    Record

    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the Australian competition regulator (ACCC) imposed the fine (secondary source, no link).
    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the court accepted that Clorox genuinely believed the claim and did not intend to mislead.
    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the collection area extended up to 50 km inland from the coast.
    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the UK Food Standards Agency has no agreed definition of 'ocean plastic' (secondary source, no link).
    • None on record Not stated in the sources reviewed: whether the claim has been withdrawn or the penalty appealed.

    Did the harm stop?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Who paid?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Sources

    Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

    Press and investigations

    Connected cases

    Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
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