In a letter to Graeme Samuel, chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Bernard Cassell chairman APIA says there are several assumptions in statements such as these that are manifestly against the accepted scientific analysis and/or are unable to be substantiated.

Cassell says, “By way of general example, APIA’s member companies constantly advise of companies who claim or imply in their public communications that they are assisting the environment by switching from paper based statements or invoices to electronic statements or invoices.

“In addition to the factual inaccuracy of the environmental and other impacts of many of the claims made about paper and printed communications, some of the companies require a fee from their customers to continue providing paper based statements. Without being glib, there is no evidence that charging clients for a paper based statement provides any environmental benefits.”

Cassell concluded that rather than taking a piecemeal approach and making individual complaints to the Commission each time APIA becomes aware of instances that give rise to legitimate complaint, the Association is seeking to alert the Commission to the breadth and depth of the issue by utilising a sample approach.

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