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| Steggles chickens are not 'free to roam', rules federal court | Steggles chickens are not 'free to roam', rules federal court |
| (2 months later) | |
| Poultry giant Steggles has been found to have falsely claimed its chickens were free to roam in large barns. | Poultry giant Steggles has been found to have falsely claimed its chickens were free to roam in large barns. |
| The processors and suppliers of Steggles branded chicken products, Baiada Poultry and Bartter Enterprises, engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by claiming their chickens were free to roam in barns when this was not the case, the federal court found on Monday. | The processors and suppliers of Steggles branded chicken products, Baiada Poultry and Bartter Enterprises, engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by claiming their chickens were free to roam in barns when this was not the case, the federal court found on Monday. |
| Justice Richard Tracey found that at times in their growth cycle the chickens could not move more than a metre or so without having their further movement obstructed by a barrier of clustered birds. | Justice Richard Tracey found that at times in their growth cycle the chickens could not move more than a metre or so without having their further movement obstructed by a barrier of clustered birds. |
| Statistics from Steggles, which contested the action, indicated between 17 and 19 chickens were stocked together per square metre, giving each chicken access to an area less than the size of an A4 sheet of paper. | Statistics from Steggles, which contested the action, indicated between 17 and 19 chickens were stocked together per square metre, giving each chicken access to an area less than the size of an A4 sheet of paper. |
| "Court finds chicken companies made false and misleading claims following ACCC action," the corporate watchdog announced in a tweet on Tuesday. | "Court finds chicken companies made false and misleading claims following ACCC action," the corporate watchdog announced in a tweet on Tuesday. |
| The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched the legal action in September, 2011 after the peak industry body, The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF), claimed on its website that chickens produced in Australia were "free to roam" or able to "roam freely" in large barns. | The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched the legal action in September, 2011 after the peak industry body, The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF), claimed on its website that chickens produced in Australia were "free to roam" or able to "roam freely" in large barns. |
| The ACMF was also found to have engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct. | The ACMF was also found to have engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct. |
| ACCC commissioner, Sarah Court, said consumers must be able to make informed purchasing decisions and misleading claims could disadvantage other suppliers. | ACCC commissioner, Sarah Court, said consumers must be able to make informed purchasing decisions and misleading claims could disadvantage other suppliers. |
| "Promotional activities that convey an impression of farming practices are powerful representations that influence food choices," Court said. | "Promotional activities that convey an impression of farming practices are powerful representations that influence food choices," Court said. |
| "The court's decision makes it clear to producers and suppliers that any claims made in relation to farming practices must be accurate." | "The court's decision makes it clear to producers and suppliers that any claims made in relation to farming practices must be accurate." |
| The court did, however, find that the free to roam representations did not relate to the inherent qualities of the chickens. | The court did, however, find that the free to roam representations did not relate to the inherent qualities of the chickens. |
| Under Australian consumer law, corporations face a maximum $1.1m fine for each corporate breach. | Under Australian consumer law, corporations face a maximum $1.1m fine for each corporate breach. |
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