The Federal Court of Australia has fined a chain of activewear $5 million and labelled it “predatory and exploitative” after falsely claimed its clothes could eliminate COVID-19 and stop it spreading.

Lorna Jane claimed its anti-virus activewear had been sprayed with a substance called “LJ Shield” that protected people against pathogens. 

Advertisements on the brand’s website, stores and Instagram used the tag ‘Cure for the Spread of COVID-19? Lorna Jane Thinks So’. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched court action against Lorna Jane last year for allegedly making false and misleading claims.