British FMCG giant Unilever has come under the radar for bogus 'green' claims about its products. The UK antitrust regulator has opened a probe against the company over claims that it misled shoppers about how environment-friendly its products are.

British FMCG giant Unilever has come under the radar for bogus 'green' claims about its products. The UK antitrust regulator has opened a probe against the company over claims that it misled shoppers about how environment-friendly its products are. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in a statement released on Tuesday (Dec 12) said an initial review into Unilever's tactics found that the multi-billion dollar company was using a range of "concerning practices" to sell its products. “Essentials like detergent, kitchen spray, and toiletries are the kinds of items you put in your supermarket basket every time you shop. More and more people are trying to do their bit to help protect the environment, but we’re worried many are being misled by so-called ‘green’ products that aren’t what they seem.” The watchdog added that it was worried Unilever might have been overstating how clean and green it was. The company, which is responsible for brands such as Dove, Comfort and Cif among others focused on single aspect of the product to suggest it was environmentally friendly. Use of colours and imagery such as green leaves created the impression that some products were greener than what reality might reflect. If Unilever is found guilty of greenwashing claims, the watchdog could take it to court where the case could even go to trial. Also read | Big brands like Coca Cola found guilty of 'greenwashing', what is this and why is it problematic? After the release of CMA's statement, Unilever said it was "surprised" and "disappointed" by the investigation but added it would cooperate with the watchdog. "We refute that our claims are in any way misleading. Unilever is committed to making responsible claims about the benefits of our products on our packs and to these being transparent and clear," a company spokesperson said. The authorities launching the probe against Unilever is part of a broader battle against "greenwashing" that mega companies often use to sell themselves as a sustainable and eco-conscious company. In January, earlier this year, CMA expanded its investigation to include consumer goods companies that make essential items such as food, drink, cleaning products and toiletries. Watch | The seven sins of Greenwashing × What is Greenwashing? The process of fabricating or exaggerating a product, service, brand, or even an entire company's green credentials is known as "greenwashing." Big brands use it to market themselves despite causing tremendous damage to the environment. Their deceptive ploy not only hurts the climate but also the ethical businesses that are attempting to better the world by changing their habits. (With inputs from agencies)

Unilever to be investigated by UK antitrust regulator over 'greenwashing' claims

A federal judge in Seattle has ruled that Apple and Amazon.com must face a consumer antitrust lawsuit in the United States. The lawsuit accuses the two tech giants of conspiring to artificially inflate the prices of iPhones and iPads sold on Amazon's platform.&nbsp;

US District Judge John Coughenour rejected attempts by Apple and Amazon to dismiss the prospective class action on various legal grounds. He said that the "validity" of the relevant market, which is a crucial aspect in antitrust litigation, should be determined by a jury.&nbsp;

<h2>The lawsuit against Apple and Amazon</h2>

The lawsuit, which was filed in November, is part of a series of legal actions from both private parties and government entities challenging Amazon's online pricing practices.

Judge Coughenour's ruling, means that after months of wait, the case will now proceed to evidence-gathering and other pretrial proceedings, reports Reuters.

Apple, Amazon, and their respective legal representatives are yet to respond to the court's ruling.

<h2>Who is behind the lawsuit?</h2>

The plaintiffs, in this case, are US residents who purchased new iPhones and iPads on Amazon starting in January 2019. They allege that an agreement between Apple and Amazon, which came into effect that year, restricted the number of competing resellers in violation of antitrust laws.

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Steve Berman, the plaintiffs' lawyer, hailed the court's decision as "a major win for consumers of Apple phones and iPads."&nbsp;

<h2>Specifics of the lawsuit against Apple and Amazon</h2>

According to the lawsuit, there were around 600 third-party Apple resellers on Amazon in 2018.&nbsp;

The plaintiffs claim that Apple offered Amazon a discount on its products in exchange for reducing the number of Apple resellers on its marketplace.&nbsp;

Apple, on the other hand, argues that the agreement with Amazon aimed to minimise the presence of counterfeit Apple products on the e-commerce platform.

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In a court filing, Apple's attorneys argued that such agreements are commonplace and that the Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit have consistently recognised their pro-competitive nature and legality.&nbsp;

However, the Seattle judge noted that the "countervailing" motivations for the agreement between Apple and Amazon would be addressed at a later stage in the litigation process.

<h2>What are the complainants asking for?</h2>

Reuters reports that the complaint seeks unspecified triple damages and other forms of relief.&nbsp;

Apple reported $94.8 billion in sales in the second quarter, while Amazon disclosed $127.4 billion in its most recent quarterly earnings report.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A federal judge in Seattle has ruled that Apple and Amazon.com must face a consumer antitrust lawsuit in the United States. The lawsuit accuses the two tech giants of conspiring to artificially inflate the prices of iPhones and iPads sold on Amazon's platform.

A federal judge in Seattle has ruled that Apple and Amazon.com must face a consumer antitrust lawsuit in the United States. The lawsuit accuses the two tech giants of conspiring to artificially inflate the prices of iPhones and iPads sold on Amazon's platform. US District Judge John Coughenour rejected attempts by Apple and Amazon to dismiss the prospective class action on various legal grounds. He said that the "validity" of the relevant market, which is a crucial aspect in antitrust litigation, should be determined by a jury. The lawsuit against Apple and Amazon The lawsuit, which was filed in November, is part of a series of legal actions from both private parties and government entities challenging Amazon's online pricing practices. Judge Coughenour's ruling, means that after months of wait, the case will now proceed to evidence-gathering and other pretrial proceedings, reports Reuters. Apple, Amazon, and their respective legal representatives are yet to respond to the court's ruling. Who is behind the lawsuit? The plaintiffs, in this case, are US residents who purchased new iPhones and iPads on Amazon starting in January 2019. They allege that an agreement between Apple and Amazon, which came into effect that year, restricted the number of competing resellers in violation of antitrust laws. Also read | Googlers work-from-office attendance to affect employee performance reviews Steve Berman, the plaintiffs' lawyer, hailed the court's decision as "a major win for consumers of Apple phones and iPads." Specifics of the lawsuit against Apple and Amazon According to the lawsuit, there were around 600 third-party Apple resellers on Amazon in 2018. The plaintiffs claim that Apple offered Amazon a discount on its products in exchange for reducing the number of Apple resellers on its marketplace. Apple, on the other hand, argues that the agreement with Amazon aimed to minimise the presence of counterfeit Apple products on the e-commerce platform. Also read | OpenAI decides against going public due to concerns over superintelligence In a court filing, Apple's attorneys argued that such agreements are commonplace and that the Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit have consistently recognised their pro-competitive nature and legality. However, the Seattle judge noted that the "countervailing" motivations for the agreement between Apple and Amazon would be addressed at a later stage in the litigation process. What are the complainants asking for? Reuters reports that the complaint seeks unspecified triple damages and other forms of relief. Apple reported $94.8 billion in sales in the second quarter, while Amazon disclosed $127.4 billion in its most recent quarterly earnings report. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Apple, Amazon must face consumer antitrust lawsuit for artificially inflating prices: US federal judge

Tech giant Amazon is under the radar of the European Union. The antitrust regulators have opened up an investigation into Amazon. The probe will assess if Amazon misuses sensitive data of the independent merchants. Watch this video to know more.

EU to investigate Amazon marketplace

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