Consumer group Choice has told Kleenex to clean up its act after marketing claims on its “flushable” wipes were found to be grubby. Testing found the wipes pose a blockage threat to household pipes and for Australia’s waste water industry.
Choice head of media Tom Godfrey who said the marketing claims are nothing short of 'grubby', says: “Choice wants these fake flushable claims off supermarket shelves as they put consumers at risk of clogged pipes and high plumbing bills.
“It’s time Kleenex ended its grubby obsession with getting Aussies to flush these products," he adds.
Earlier this year, AdNews’ Watchdog, the mighty defender of consumers against BS marketing and advertising claims, caught on to Kleenex’s trickery after Sydney Water said they removed more than 1000 tonnes of wet wipe materials.
Godfrey says the Australian waste water industry estimates it costs $15 million a year to clear blockages by wet wipes.
A spokesperson for Kleenex told AdNews they are disappointed by Choice's claims and the consumer group has failed to acknowledge Kleenex's efforts in conjunction with wastewater authorities.
Moving forward, Kleenex has released new flushable wipe that is paper-based and is updating its packaging to include clear instructions on pack for safely disposing the product. This includes a prominent ‘DO NOT FLUSH’ logo for non-flushable products.
Despite the company insisting its old wipes were ‘flushable’, Godfrey says Kleenex has decided to reformulate the product.
"With consumers, local councils and water services organisations struggling with the cost of removing 'fatbergs' from the sewage system, it's encouraging Kleenex is trying to clean up its act but this new product still poses problems," Godfrey says.
Choice's latest findings come eight months after Kleenex received a Shonky Award in 2015 for claiming its Kids Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths disintegrated like toilet paper.
Earlier this year Choice fries dodgy free-range egg tactics and challenged unsafe hoverboards.
Will you continue to use “flushable” wet wipes? Comment below.
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