Period drama: Here We Flo pulls ‘plastic-free’ pledge amid row over green claims
The sustainable period care brand Here We Flo, which launched in 2017 selling “plant powered” pads and liners that are “100% free of nasties”, is removing the terms “plastic-free” and “no synthetic fibres” from its packets.The company said it had been working on a “packaging refresh” for the past year.It denied that it had made the changes because “the sustainable material claims are misleading”, but admitted it would no longer be using terms such as “biodegradable”, “no synthetic fibres, “plastic-free”, “eco-friendly” and “planet-friendly” on its period products.The changes come amid an angry spat between Here We Flo and a rival brand, Mooncup, which has complained to regulators about Here We Flo’s green claims.Mooncup cited a report by scientists at a leading university that allegedly found Here We Flo’s pads and liners contained a combination of synthetic and semi-synthetic materials.
In the legal letter sent by &Sisters, the parent company of Mooncup, to Here We Flo, and seen by the Guardian, it is alleged the company was falsely using terms such as “natural”, “biodegradable” and “plastic-free” in its advertising and on packaging.The allegations are based on findings from a 100-page lab report that it shared with Here We Flo and included in complaints sent to the Competition and Markets Authority and Advertising Standards Authority.Here We Flo denied that its practices consisted of unfair and misrepresentative advertising and labelling.It said the Mooncup report was “fundamentally flawed and lacks rudimentary detail”.It added that it contained “inaccuracies” and would have no standing legally.
British women spend approaching £300m a year on period products, and the market is dominated by big brands such as Tampax and Always and supermarket own-labels.However demand for “green” alternatives to pads and liners that typically contain plastic is growing due to campaigns highlighting the pollution they cause.With 3bn disposable products used every year, an estimated 200,000 tonnes of menstrual waste ends up in UK landfill sites.Sustainable period products make up a small but growing part of the market, with total sales of about £6m.Here We Flo is the market leader, selling in major retailers including Boots and Tesco.
Mooncup is best known for its reusable silicone menstrual cup.The report was commissioned by Mooncup as a benchmarking exercise.It claims that tests on Here We Flo pads found the non-biodegradable plastics sodium polyacrylate and polyethylene alongside bamboo viscose, a semi-synthetic material obtained through the chemical processing of raw bamboo.Sign up to Business TodayGet set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningafter newsletter promotionHere We Flo was co-founded by Tara Chandra and Susan Allen, friends who met while studying at the London School of Economics.The challenger brand describes itself as “proudly women-of-colour owned and sustainably built”.
It has won over young women by talking frankly about periods and sex.Two years ago it secured B Corp status, a fair trade style label for companies.In a 12-page response to the Mooncup allegations, Here We Flo’s lawyers described it as a calculated attempt to “destroy” its market leadership.While it is enjoying stellar sales growth, it said its smaller rival was a “male-run, declining business”.The “optics of such a male attack on a female-owned company in relation to feminine hygiene” would not go unnoticed, it added.
In turn Here We Flo alleged that Mooncup was misleading consumers with some of its green claims, such as the length of time its pads take to biodegrade, and should be investigated.Mooncup says that its biodegradability claims are verified by the leading standards and certification bodies.
Thames Water court case shows there are alternatives to massive infrastructure
Britain is running out of water, we are told. Soon there will be curfews, banning people from turning on their taps, as happens in Italy. Standpipes will sprout on the side of parched roads where trees once stood.Rivers will run dry and rural communities will begin digging wells in response to a water apocalypse destined to arrive courtesy of the ravaging effect of climate change.The water companies argue that major investment is needed to cope with the changing weather patterns, with those funds primarily channelled into building massive new infrastructure
‘He left us with nothing’: the British investors swindled by a German property firm
“He took everything, left us with absolutely nothing,” says David Middleton, one of thousands of British and Irish investors who racked up huge losses from the collapse of a German property ponzi scheme.The 72-year-old pensioner from Northern Ireland is referring to Charles Smethurst, the German-British businessman who set up Dolphin Capital in 2008, later renamed Dolphin Trust, then German Property Group (GPG), with 200 affiliated companies. In July 2020, the business filed for insolvency, owing more than €1bn to up to 25,000 investors around the world.Smethurst was convicted this month of “serious fraud” and sentenced to six years and 11 months in prison by a regional court in Hildesheim, in northern Germany. As part of a plea bargain, he admitted to four of 27 counts of commercial fraud, filed against him by the Hanover public prosecutor’s office last October, for total damages of €56m
Online hacks to offline heists: crypto leaders on edge amid increasing attacks
Industry figures are seeing beyond the ‘illusion of invisibility’ after series of investor kidnappingsCryptocurrency traders such as Mohammed Arsalan are prepared to watch their online assets expand and explode if they miss the right moment, making or breaking their fortunes in just minutes. All in a day’s work on the internet. Offline, though, they have found themselves less equipped for the consequences of affluence. A string of kidnappings has plagued the industry over the past year and left traders across the globe paranoid, fearful and keen to invest in physical security measures.Arsalan grew up working class in Karachi, Pakistan
Jeff in Venice: seven takeaways from the Bezos-Sánchez wedding
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sánchez held their wedding ceremony in Venice’s Grand canal on Friday, the centrepiece of a three-day gala that drew dozens of stars but also protests by local activists. Here are seven takeaways.The couple kicked off celebrations with a foam party on their $500m (£364m) super yacht moored near the Croatian island of Unije. Coinciding with Sánchez’s son Evan Whitesell’s 19th birthday, paparazzi photos showed the couple wearing swimwear and sunhats covered in frothy suds as they partied alongside Whitesell and his friends. Foam parties can cause conjunctivitis, so the decision to hold one just days before their nuptials was somewhat surprising but maybe billionaire foam hits different
Novak Djokovic confident Wimbledon is his ‘best chance’ of extending slam record
Novak Djokovic believes that this year’s Wimbledon likely represents his best chance of winning a record-extending 25th grand slam title as he tries to disrupt the dominance established by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the biggest tournaments in the world.“I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play at Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,” said Djokovic.The seven-time champion at SW19 returns to the All England Club in an intriguing position. After defeating Alcaraz, the world No 2, en route to the Australian Open semi-finals in January, Djokovic reached the French Open semi-finals with a stellar win over the world No 3, Alexander Zverev, before losing in three tight sets to Sinner. The Serb departed Paris as the third best performer at the grand slam tournaments so far this year and he continues to compete at an extremely high level
India thrash England by 97 runs in first women’s T20 cricket – as it happened
Right on cue, Raf’s report is in.It doesn’t pull any punches. And why should it? That was a chastening defeat for England.But it also rightly sings the praises of the Indians were magnificent.Don’t take my word for it, read it here:Thanks for keeping me company
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