Pity poor old LG Electronics, caught out in a little eco-scam in Australia. Apparently the naughty company has been tampering with energy efficiency testing of their fridges by installing a sneaky device that trips into a special low-power mode when the ambient temperature is between 22 and 32 degrees and the door hasn’t been opened for some time, which is similar to the sort of conditions you might find in an energy rating test lab.

The two products, models L197NFS and P197WFS, actually use significantly more electricity than their rating in general use, and cost the poor buyer more than they expect in the long run. Australian consumer group Choice, which discovered the scam, says this is not the first time LG has been caught ‘greenwashing’,  i.e. over selling the eco benefits of their products.  The company has also tripped up in the past over false claims relating to washing machines and air conditioners. You have to wonder just how many other companies are doing this sort of thing in general?

LG has now agreed to compensate owners for the increased cost of owning the fridge and either get a refund or replacement product. [Photo via Flickr]

Yesterday, Choice chief executive Nick Stace said the fridge was an extreme example of a company making false or misleading environmental claims, known as ‘greenwashing’. ‘This fridge is both a potential danger to your food, your wallet and the environment,’ Mr Stace told the Choice National Consumer Congress.

Tags: gadget, non+eco+gadget, lg, lg+fridges, lg+caught+doctoring+power+usage