Adairs The House of Linen (Aust) Pty Ltd - s.87B undertaking

Adairs The House of Linen (Aust) Pty Ltd (Adairs) has acknowledged that the 100% goose down content claims it made for its 'Downtime' brand down quilts may have been false and liable to mislead consumers and may contravene the TPA.

ACCC testing of two 'Downtime' brand down quilts showed that the quilts contained in the range of 70% - 86% goose down, significantly less than the represented 100%.

Adairs advised the ACCC that the 100% down content claims it made for its 'Downtime' brand quilts were made in reliance on the labelling percentage tolerances allowed in Australian Standard 2479-1987 ('Down and/or feather filling materials and filled products') and that it had not intended to mislead or deceive consumers.

Adairs has undertaken to:

• offer refunds to consumers who purchased a 'Downtime' brand quilt represented to contain 100% goose down; and
• refrain in future from making any down content claims for its products unless the claims can be substantiated by independent testing on its finished products where the manufacturing process has been completed.

Adairs will implement a trade practices compliance program for Adairs employees and other persons involved in its business.