Australia Fines Firm $3.7Mln For Selling Clothes 'Shielding' Against COVID-19

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2021) Australia's athletic apparel retailer Lorna Jane has been fined 5 million Australian Dollars ($3.7 million) for misleading the public over claims that its clothes allegedly prevent the transmission of viruses, including COVID-19, the competition and consumer commission (ACCC) said on Friday.

"The Federal Court has ordered Lorna Jane Pty Ltd (Lorna Jane), to pay $5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations to consumers, and engaging in conduct liable to mislead the public, in connection with the promotion and supply of its 'LJ Shield Activewear,' the ACCC said in a press release.

The local manufacturer admitted that from July 2-23, 2020 � during a surge in infections in Australia � it made knowingly false statements that its anti-virus sportswear had been sprayed with a substance called LJ Shield, which "eliminated," "stopped the spread" and "protected wearers" against pathogens.

Advertisements on the firm's website, stores and on Instagram made the following claims � "Cure for the Spread of COVID-19? Lorna Jane Thinks So" and "LJ SHIELD is a groundbreaking technology that makes transferal of all pathogens to your Activewear (and let's face it, the one we're all thinking about is Covid-19) impossible by eliminating the virus on contact with the fabric."

Last July, the company was fined by the Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) for selling clothes allegedly protecting against the coronavirus. Back then, the TGA issued three infringement notices to Lorna Jane, with penalties totaling 39,960 Australian dollars. The notices are related to the firm's failure to register goods on the Australian register of therapeutic goods and seek TGA approval prior to making certain claims, as well as a breach of the advertising code.