Firm fined 2.6m for claiming clothes prevent Covid

An Australian activewear firm has been fined £2.6m (5m Australian dollars) for claiming its clothing "eliminated" and stopped the spread of Covid.

Lorna Jane had advertised that its clothing used "a groundbreaking technology" called LJ Shield to prevent the "transferal of all pathogens".

However, in a ruling, a judge said the company's claim was "exploitative, predatory and potentially dangerous".

Lorna Jane said it accepted the court's ruling.

The company maintained that it had been misled by its own supplier. "A trusted supplier sold us a product that did not perform as promised," said Lorna Jane chief executive Bill Clarkson.