Does your website make a green claim you can't back up?
Words like "eco-friendly", "sustainable" and "carbon neutral" are claims under Australian Consumer Law — and unsupported ones are what the ACCC calls greenwashing. We review the environmental claims we identify on your website against ACCC guidance, so your wording is clear, properly qualified, and easier to stand behind.
See which words are safe to use →Industries named in ACCC sweeps and enforcement
Misleading environmental claims remain a stated ACCC compliance and enforcement priority across every sector.
Get your free Greenwashing Risk Score in under a minute.
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.
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)
Misleading environmental and sustainability claims have been a stated ACCC compliance and enforcement priority every year from 2022–23 through 2025–26
ASIC greenwashing penalties imposed in 2024 — Active Super, Mercer Super and Vanguard
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.
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.
Well-meaning businesses use words like 'sustainable' and 'carbon neutral' every day. The ACCC is actively reviewing these claims.
See real examples →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.
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.
Based on ACCC guidance
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
Professional guidance only, not legal advice. We'll flag when a lawyer's eye is needed.
Clear pricing
Two tiers. From 3 days. No surprises.
Customer review
"Addresses all the problem areas — ones I was aware of and a few I wasn't — with really good suggestions about how to resolve them."
"The suggestions on how to tighten up the language give an idea of the 'limit' — what would be acceptable and what would be pushing the greenwashing line."
"The reports are going to be so valuable for businesses going forward — particularly when the government starts cracking down… and I know that's coming!"
Free download
The Common Claims Checklist
The 12 green words Australian businesses put on their websites — what each one implies, the evidence you'd need, and safer wording you can copy. Free PDF, based on ACCC guidance.
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 10 pages — nominate the ones you want at checkout, or let us prioritise them.
- ✓Up to 10 pages
- ✓You choose the pages — or we select them
- ✓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 10 pages assessed, or anything outside the standard scope.
- ✓More than 10 pages
- ✓Custom scope tailored to your site
- ✓Custom turnaround agreed upfront
- ✓Everything in the Full Website assessment
- ✓Direct contact throughout the assessment
How your 10 pages are chosen. At checkout you can type in up to 10 pages you want audited — those are the pages we review. If you nominate fewer than 10, or none at all, we fill the remaining slots with the pages most likely to contain environmental claims — sustainability pages, about pages, and product descriptions first. Sites with more than 10 pages should contact us for enterprise pricing.
Website pages only — see what's in and out of scope. Not sure which is right for you? Start with the Starter assessment — you can always escalate. Email hello@sproutcheck.com.au with any questions.
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 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.
Important: this is not legal advice. Sprout Check is a risk-identification service. Assessments are conducted using AI-assisted analysis reviewed against the ACCC's published environmental claims guidance (December 2023) and Australian Consumer Law. We do not certify compliance, and we are not a substitute for a qualified lawyer. Sprout Check is not affiliated with the ACCC, ASIC or any regulator.
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).
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