Australia’s consumer watchdog has ordered seven suppliers to stop printing ‘organic’ on the labels of bottled water.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has negotiated with the manufacturers to keep the matter out of court.

Active Organic, Lithgow Valley Springs Organic, Nature’s Best Organic, Organic Australia, Organic Falls, Organic Nature’s Best and Organic Springs will all be re-named and re-labelled as soon as possible, the ACCC verdict has lead to an eighth supplier hastily changing its label too.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said; “Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions that value the types of claims that directly affect the integrity of the product, such as where or how something was made, grown or produced... credence claims such as 'organic' can be used to justify higher prices and create a competitive advantage for the user. As such it is essential that they are only used correctly.”

The Commission says organic standards acknowledge that water cannot be organic, and any claim of that nature would be misleading or deceptive. The water-mongers claimed ‘organic’ was not an indication of the contents, but rather just the brand’s name.

The ACCC said that excuse would not fly - they have also requested anyone who sees further claims of ‘organic’ water should contact the Commission.