Thursday, March 28, 2024

Godfrey Hirst fires legal threat at Bremworth

Avatar photo
Bremworth, now the manufacturer of wool carpets only, has resisted a legal threat from synthetic carpet manufacturer Godfrey Hirst to change its marketing claims. The claims include New Zealand wool origin as a natural, more sustainable alternative to synthetic carpets made from plastics.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Godfrey Hirst’s law firm, Chapman Tripp, gave Bremworth seven days until July 23 to remediate what it alleged were breaches of the Fair Trading Act.

New Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith says the legal threat is an effort to stifle legitimate competition and consumer choice.

He instructed Russell McVeagh to say that Bremworth would not provide the undertakings sought by Godfrey Hirst.

It also reserved its right to take action in relation to marketing claims by the other carpet manufacturer.

The July 23 date is pertinent because it was a year since Bremworth launched its all-wool and natural fibres strategy, in which it would cease to make any synthetic fibre carpets or rugs.

In May this year it hosted Primary Industries Minister Damien O’Connor at the head office and Auckland manufacturing plant to mark the end of synthetic carpet manufacturing.

“We were surprised by how many consumers had not made the connection between nylon carpets and plastics, as a result of years of significant marketing spend and advertising campaigns convincing consumers that synthetic carpets were superior to wool,” Smith said.

Godfrey Hirst says Bremworth and parent company Cavalier Corporation has sought to demonise synthetic carpets with false and misleading references to single-use plastic bags and microplastics.

It had lauded the environmental benefits of wool carpets without acknowledging the full environmental impact of livestock farming, wool scouring and the chemicals required for insect resistance.

“These statements, individually and collectively, have harmed and, if not ceased, will continue to harm Godfrey Hirst and other suppliers of synthetic carpets,” Chapman Tripp consultant Grant David wrote.

“They also are plainly detrimental to the interests of investors and the carpet-buying public, who are entitled to be properly informed.”

In response, Russell McVeagh wrote that Godfrey Hirst and Chapman Tripp had failed to provide examples of the published marketing claims to which they were objecting.

Bremworth was confident that it had not breached the Fair Trading Act.

Godfrey Hirst says Bremworth’s new marketing conveyed the false and misleading impression that the environmental harm of synthetic carpets was equivalent to that of 22,000 single-use plastic bags.

Bremworth says it was prepared to substantiate that claim that the synthetic carpet in an average-sized house would be equivalent by weight to that many single-use plastic bags.

“Where comparisons have been made according to weight, they have been done so in a manner that is readily understood by consumers and that has been substantiated from information from a number of sources,” it said.

The measurement is 30 broadloom metres of 40-ounce synthetic carpet in a 110 square metre house.

In a media release announcing the legal letter exchange, Bremworth said it refused to back down from its support of NZ wool.

It had taken 2500 tonnes annually of synthetic fibre out of its business.

“For more than 60 years, Bremworth has built up significant knowledge about the potential and performance of many different fibres from diverse sources for use in flooring,” the company said.

“It is our belief that wool carpet is the optimum offer for customers.

“Along with its design and performance benefits, wool is natural, fire retardant, warm in winter and cool in summer and stain resistant.

“We’re now on a mission to educate and inspire consumers to fall back in love with wool and by doing so, we will help to reignite the strong wool sector in New Zealand.”

Godfrey Hirst had complained that Bremworth was still using latex synthetic primary backing on wool carpets that it claimed were “100% wool”.

Bremworth and Russell McVeagh responded that Godfrey Hirst’s own wool carpets carried the same claim.

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading