APRIL 2010
A HOUSEHOLD goods wholesaler selling ‘authentic’ Aboriginal rock art magnets has taken the Chinese-made product off the shelves, after an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Mayvic withdrew the product from sale due to ACCC concerns that promoting the product as ‘authentic Aboriginal art’ was likely to create a false or misleading impression.
Mayvic has offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel, says promoting fake Aboriginal artwork as authentic undermines the industry and the income of real Aboriginal artists.
“Authenticity is a key concern for buyers of all forms of Aboriginal art,” says Samuel.
“It is crucial for Aboriginal artists to be able to differentiate their works from imitations and imported products that are not authentic.
“Consumers also need to be confident that they are getting genuine Aboriginal art when they are purchasing products promoted as being authentic.”
Samuel says the ACCC will continue raising awareness about the importance of the issue and will continue to take action against businesses that make such misleading claims.
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