The Wilderness Society (TWS) has asked the national consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), to investigate whether hardware giant Bunnings has made false or misleading environmental claims about the timber it sells. 

TWS alleges in a letter to the ACCC prepared by EDO [1] that Bunnings may have made—and may be continuing to make—misleading and/or false representations to consumers about its timber products, possibly contravening the Australian Consumer Law. 

The group is concerned that, despite stating that it “excludes timber sources where the material was illegally harvested or traded”, illegally logged timber may have entered Bunnings’ supply chain via Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW), a state-owned corporation that a judge in 2024 described as having “a significant history of unlawfully carrying out forestry operations”. [2] 

TWS also questions the accuracy of Bunnings’ statement that forest certification provides assurances that forests are conserved and managed responsibly.  

TWS assert that, notwithstanding the numerous environmental offences which FCNSW has committed and the extent of unlawful damage it has allegedly caused to forests, FCNSW has maintained its Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. Consequently, TWS has concerns about the accuracy of Bunnings’ broad claims regarding forest certification. 

The group is concerned that Bunnings’ environmental claims may make its timber products seem less environmentally harmful than they really are and could therefore constitute greenwashing. 

The ACCC has confirmed that it has received the EDO’s letter and will assess the issues in accordance with its Compliance and Enforcement Policy.  

Breaches of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and the Australian Consumer Law attract fines and pecuniary penalties. 

References 

[1] Complaint regarding Bunnings Group Limited (ACN 008 672 179), January 14, 2026  

[2] Environment Protection Authority v Forestry Corporation of New South Wales [2024] NSWLEC 78; and Forestry Corporation of NSW has ‘a pattern’ of illegally damaging the environment, scathing judgment finds, The Guardian, July 31, 2024. 

Media coverage

Bunnings accused of ‘greenwashing’ timber amid concerns about supplier’s illegal logging, The Guardian, 27 January 2026.