Review your environmental claims before the ACCC does.
You worked hard to be more sustainable. Don't let vague wording lead to a regulator's letter. We review the environmental claims we identify on your website against ACCC guidance — so your sustainability story is clearly worded, properly qualified, and easier to stand behind.
ACCC enforcement is actively targeting
Get your free Greenwashing Risk Score in 60 seconds.
Enter your homepage URL. We'll scan it for common words and phrases that may attract ACCC attention — and show you which risk categories they fall into.
Indicative score only · Not legal advice · Reviewed against ACCC Environmental Claims Guidance (Dec 2023) · One free scan
carry legal weight you may not have intended.
The ACCC's 2022 sweep of 247 Australian businesses found 57% had potentially misleading green claims on their websites. (Source: ACCC, March 2023)
Maximum penalty per contravention of Australian Consumer Law — greater of $50M, three times the benefit gained, or 30% of adjusted turnover (in force since Nov 2022)
Of 247 businesses reviewed had potentially misleading green claims (ACCC internet sweep, 2022)
Of Australian consumers said they would stop buying from a business if it had engaged in greenwashing (CPRC, 2022)
Recent ACCC/ASIC greenwashing fines (2024–2025)
Is this for you?
If your website uses any of these words or phrases, you're in scope:
The ACCC's 2025–26 enforcement priorities specifically name energy, food, fashion and homewares — but their 2022 internet sweep covered 8 industries. Any business making environmental claims on their website is potentially in scope, regardless of size.
Fashion and apparel
Fabric claims, ethical sourcing, recycled materials
Food and beverage
Packaging claims, farming practices, carbon footprint
Home, beauty and lifestyle
Ingredient claims, recyclable packaging, natural formulations
Good intentions aren't enough anymore.
Well-meaning businesses use words like "sustainable", "eco-friendly", "carbon neutral" every day. Meaning it and saying it correctly are two different things under Australian Consumer Law.
The ACCC isn't just targeting large corporations — they're working through energy, fashion, food, homewares and more. If your website makes environmental claims, you're in scope.
"This priority will include a focus on greenwashing in recognition of the substantial impact of this conduct on consumer trust and engagement."
The ACCC doesn't need intent. They just need a claim they can't verify.
Every day, well-meaning Australian businesses use words like 'sustainable' and 'carbon neutral' on their websites. The ACCC is actively reviewing these claims — and fining businesses whose words don't hold up.
These businesses paid the price.
The ACCC and ASIC have moved from warnings to Federal Court proceedings and multi-million dollar penalties.
Federal Court penalty in ASIC proceedings — ESG fund's investment screens found misleading. (Sept 2024)
"50% Ocean Plastic" packaging and website claims found misleading by the Federal Court in ACCC proceedings. (Penalty orders 14 April 2025)
ASIC action — superannuation fund's ESG investment claims found misleading while it held investments it claimed to exclude. (Aug 2024)
ACCC commenced Federal Court proceedings in 2023; the Court found AGN had made misleading representations about the future supply of renewable gas to households. (Dec 2024)
Sources: ACCC, ASIC, Federal Court of Australia 2024–2025. This information is factual and sourced from public regulatory records.
A clear read of your website, mapped to the ACCC's guidance.
Submit your URL. Pay securely. No intake calls.
We assess the environmental claims we identify on your site against ACCC guidance and current enforcement patterns.
You receive a plain-language PDF report: each flagged claim explained, suggested rewrites, priority action list.
Delivered within 3 business days for the Starter, 5 for the full website.
What's in scope — and what isn't
What we review
- ✓Publicly accessible website pages
- ✓Product pages, About pages, impact or sustainability pages
- ✓Footer claims and navigation labels
- ✓Blog posts and news articles on your site
What we don't cover
- ×Social media profiles or paid advertising
- ×Product packaging or physical labels
- ×Internal documents or investor materials
- ×Legal compliance sign-off or court proceedings
If you need a broader review covering advertising or packaging, contact us to discuss.
Here's what you'll receive.
A plain-language PDF report covering every environmental claim on your website. Here's a sample page:
Sprout Check Website Assessment Report — Sample
Page 4 of 18 · Prepared for yourbusiness.com.au
Claim reviewed
"We use 100% sustainable materials in all our products."
Why this may be problematic
This claim is absolute and unqualified. Under ACCC guidance, absolute claims require robust evidence. The word "sustainable" without further qualification or substantiation may be considered vague and potentially misleading under Australian Consumer Law s.18.
Suggested rewrite
"We're actively working to increase the use of sustainable materials across our product range — currently X% of our materials meet [specific standard]."
Sample only. Actual reports are tailored to your specific website and claims.
We use the ACCC's own guidance as our benchmark.
ACCC-aligned methodology
We work from the ACCC's published guidance, not generic “green marketing” advice.
Actionable rewrites
Specific suggested copy changes, not just a list of problems.
Honest about scope
Expert guidance only, not legal advice. We'll flag when a lawyer's eye is needed.
Clear pricing
Two tiers. From 3 days. No surprises.
Choose your assessment.
one-time · delivered in 3 business days
A focused review of your homepage — the single most visible page on your site and the most common starting point for ACCC scrutiny.
- ✓Homepage review only
- ✓Every environmental or sustainability claim flagged
- ✓Plain-language explanation of each concern
- ✓Suggested rewrites for flagged claims
- ✓Priority action list
- ✓PDF delivered to your inbox
one-time · delivered in 5 business days
Up to 25 of your most relevant pages, automatically selected and prioritised.
- ✓Up to 25 pages
- ✓Every claim flagged and explained
- ✓Suggested rewrites for every flagged claim
- ✓Priority action list
- ✓Regulatory context in plain English
- ✓PDF delivered to your inbox
- ✓Note where legal advice is recommended
Custom scope & turnaround
For larger sites that need more than 25 pages assessed, or anything outside the standard scope.
- ✓More than 25 pages
- ✓Custom scope tailored to your site
- ✓Custom turnaround agreed upfront
- ✓Everything in the Full Website assessment
- ✓Direct contact throughout the assessment
How we select your 25 pages. We crawl your site and automatically prioritise the pages most likely to contain environmental claims — sustainability pages, about pages, and product descriptions first. If you have specific pages you'd like included, just let us know when you order. Sites with more than 25 pages should contact us for enterprise pricing.
Not sure which is right for you? Start with the Starter assessment — you can always escalate. Email hello@sproutcheck.com.au with any questions.
Common questions.
The ACCC's 2022 internet sweep reviewed 247 businesses across 8 industries — the majority were small to medium businesses, not large corporations. Size is not a protection.
Why we built this.
Sprout Check was built by a small business owner who understands what it's like to care deeply about sustainability — and to not have a legal team checking every word on your website.
We use a combination of AI-assisted analysis and human review, cross-referenced against the ACCC's published environmental claims guidance (December 2023) and current Australian Consumer Law frameworks, to identify claims that may attract regulatory scrutiny.
We're not lawyers. We're not a regulator. We're a business that's been in your shoes — and we built the tool we wished existed.
Sprout Check assessments are conducted using AI-assisted methodology reviewed against publicly available ACCC guidance. This is not legal advice.
Know when to go further
Sometimes you need more than an assessment.
Sprout Check helps you identify where your claims may attract scrutiny — but there are situations where qualified legal advice is the right next step. Here's how to know when that is:
Our report flags one or more high-risk claims
If your report identifies claims we consider high-risk, we'll say so explicitly. In those cases, we recommend you seek legal advice before making any changes to your website — not after.
Your business operates in a regulated industry
If you're in financial services, superannuation, energy or healthcare, your environmental claims may intersect with additional regulatory frameworks beyond the ACCC. A lawyer who specialises in your industry is worth consulting regardless of your assessment outcome.
You've already received correspondence from the ACCC
If you have received any communication from the ACCC regarding your environmental claims — do not use this service as your response. Contact a qualified competition and consumer law lawyer immediately.
You want certainty, not guidance
Sprout Check gives you a clear, expert starting point. If you need a formal legal opinion or documented compliance sign-off, that requires a lawyer. We're a first step — an important one — but not a substitute for legal counsel when the stakes are high.
Looking for a competition and consumer law solicitor? The Law Society of your state can provide a referral. Search 'competition and consumer law' at lawsociety.com.au (or your state equivalent).
Important: this is not legal advice
We flag environmental claims that may raise greenwashing risk, so businesses can review the evidence behind them and decide whether to update the wording.
Sprout Check is a risk-identification service. We help you understand where your environmental claims may be inconsistent with ACCC guidance — giving you a clear starting point for corrective action.
We are not a legal tool. We do not provide legal advice. We are not a substitute for a qualified lawyer. A Sprout Check assessment does not certify that your website is compliant with Australian Consumer Law or any other legislation.
Think of us as your first line of defence — not your last. We identify where the risks may be. A lawyer helps you manage them.
This service is conducted using AI-assisted analysis reviewed against the ACCC's published environmental claims guidance (December 2023) and current Australian Consumer Law frameworks. If our report identifies significant or high-risk concerns, we strongly recommend seeking qualified legal advice before making any changes to your website.
From the blog
Plain-English guides on ACCC compliance.
Carbon claims · 9 min
Carbon neutral claims in Australia: what the ACCC expects
How to make a defensible carbon neutral or net zero claim under the ACCC's eight principles — and the most common reasons claims fail.
Packaging · 8 min
Recyclable packaging claims: staying compliant with Australian Consumer Law
Using "recyclable", "widely recycled" or the Australasian Recycling Label without overstating what households can actually do with your pack.
Product copy · 10 min
"Eco-friendly" and "sustainable" product claims: an ACCC checklist
A pre-publish checklist for product copy that uses words like eco-friendly, sustainable, green or planet-friendly — distilled from the ACCC's eight principles.
Your sustainability story deserves to be told with confidence.
Let's make sure every claim on your website is one you can stand behind.
One payment · 3–5 business days · PDF to your inbox · Not legal advice