‘Aussie beer’ made in China fined $10k

A beer marketed as being 100% Australian owned has been fined after it emerged the brew was actually made in China.

Aussie Beer was sold by Australia’s Independent Liquor Group (ILG) between March and August 2014 and was packaged with a map of Australia and the words “100% owned” and “made from Australia’s finest malt” on the label. It also featured green and gold colours, which are closely associated with Australian sporting teams.

When the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) discovered the beer was actually brewed in China, it ruled that the label could mislead consumers and ordered the ILG, an Australian owned co-operative set up to increase the buying power of small independent liquor retailers, to pay fines of AUS$10,200.

“Country of origin representations, particularly those designed to grab the eye of the consumer by using well known symbols, colours, or slogans, must be truthful,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said. “Consumers will often place a premium on the provenance of a product, but are unable to check the accuracy of those claims.

“This is particularly the case with Australian made products which encourage consumers to support local industries. Consumers are entitled to expect that prominent representations made on packaging are accurate without having to check for disclosures in the fine print.”