Garden chain kicks up stink over supplier's compost claims

By JULIE MIDDLETON

Dung is being flung between Living Earth and the Palmers/Mitre 10 chain after comparative quality tests on their composts were publicised.

The tests, commissioned by Living Earth from the Government agency HortResearch, gave its products top marks and Palmers' a less glowing review.

So Living Earth used the results in advertising.

Palmers/Mitre 10 is "annoyed", says business manager Paul Nielsen.

But Living Earth is unrepentant. "Names do not like being named," says general manager Dave Perkins. "We're saying if you want to put 'compost' on your bag, put it in your bag."

The saga started late last month when Living Earth, which makes its compost out of household and industrial waste, commissioned tests on its house brand compost, one it supplies to Kings Plant Barn, and two Palmers/Mitre 10 house brands manufactured elsewhere.

This would not have been a problem, except that Living Earth had supplied Palmers/Mitre 10 for nearly 10 years. And that after the tests were completed, Kings ran advertisements in local newspapers. Comparative advertising has been permitted since 2002.

The final straw for Palmers/Mitre 10 was that Living Earth ran information evenings at a branch of its competitor Bunnings, further publicising the results.

Mr Nielsen, who casts doubt on the tests' veracity, says: "The concern wasn't so much that somebody conducted a test, it was what they did with the results. We would not expect any of our suppliers to go out ... and rubbish anything we're doing."

And what of Palmers/Mitre 10's reported ban on Living Earth products? "Draconian," says Mr Perkins.

Mr Nielsen denies there is one, but admits a memo was issued telling store managers "what Living Earth was doing. We take it on ourselves to keep stores informed of what's going on". Ask whether that memo forbade Living Earth products, and he says: "I'm not saying, either way. [Most of] our stores are an owners' co-operative - we don't have the authority to tell any store to do anything specifically."

Ring around Mitre 10 and Palmers stores in Greater Auckland and a good third say they don't stock Living Earth.

Ask why, and the answers range from "it's political - I'm trying to be tactful" to "different problems, different things".

Rob Fenwick, one of Living Earth's founders, says sales to Palmers/Mitre 10 branches are down - but trade to Kings is brisk.

Chris Hall, general manager of Kings, thinks the whole thing is "getting a bit out of hand". The ads were the first comparative advertising he has done - and he doesn't think he'll bother doing it again.