French dairy giant Lactalis is the world's largest dairy company, and is set to acquire Fonterra's global consumer business in early 2026.   After the deal Lactalis will become the largest dairy company in Australia, adding brands such as Western Star, Mainland, and Perfect Italiano  to its portfolio. The ACCC is allowing the deal, but local dairy farmers have expressed concern about the consolidation and its potential impact on competition and farmgate prices.

This dominance of large multinational companies in food brand ownership in Australia has been a continuing trend. Remember to use Shop Ethical! to see through the "illusion of choice", as we spell out who owns what, and help you easily find Australian-owned brands (look for the symbol) . Also, check out the Australian Owned website, the Bring Back Australia app, and our profiles on Lactalis and Fonterra.

From non-toxic, water-resistant fabrics to alternative leather made from cacti, these 6 new revolutionary textiles are paving the way for sustainable style. Here are pioneers who are creating fabrics produced without using the dyes or chemicals that pollute waterways, and they are hardy enough to go the distance instead of contributing to textile waste destined for landfills. For another alternative fabric, one of our recently added company profiles, BUSHY, make underwear from eucalyptus tree cellulose.

What fabrics are best when we’re choosing more sustainable clothes? Match your garments to the things you value with Good On You’s Ultimate Clothing Material Guide

Major brands including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever have launched the Aceh Sustainable Palm Oil Working Group to align with a new road map for deforestation-free palm oil in the Indonesian province (26/8/25). While this is a good thing, many of these brands have previously faced criticism for sourcing conflict palm oil . RAN and TheTreeMap recently documented the clearing of peat swamp and the digging of canals to dry out the carbon rich soil inside the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve — a legally protected zone. 

Palm oil is used extensively in food, cleaning and personal care products. See this animation to find out more about palm oil and sign the petition for change . To avoid palm oil see Biome’s palm oil free guide . Shop Ethical! pulls together 5+ different assessment sources on Palm oil usage in our company ratings, and subscribers can use our assessment search to quickly find exactly which companies rated well or poorly.