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Aldi customers are kicking up a stink over the supermarket's claims that its cleaning wipes can be flushed down the toilet - when they allegedly can't.

The German retailer stocks a range of Green Action flushable bathroom cleaning wipes its website and packaging said could be flushed, one at a time, after use.

Aldi Australia customers are kicking up a stink over the supermarket's claims that its cleaning wipes (pictured) can be flushed down the toilet

But its customers complained this was misleading advertising and the products should not be sold on its shelves.

'Aldi - I love you most of the time but really... Green Action (ahem) 'Flushable' wipes on sale next week?!' one customer posted to Aldi's Facebook page.

'When will everyone realise that these things ARE NOT FLUSHABLE! Please don't help in harming the environment and our waste systems... get with the program!'

A few days later another social media user complained advertising the wipes as flushable was 'wrong'.

'They must not be flushed. It is misleading advertising. Sydney Water are constantly trying to stop the sale of flushable wipes and now you are making things worse!'

Customers and water authorities say wipes like the ones Aldi is selling don't break up in water like toilet paper and clog up drains

In Sydney alone, 1,000 tonnes of wet wipes had to be removed from the wastewater system in the past two years

The second customer's claim referred to research by consumer advocacy group Choice that found wet wipes clogged up sewers.

The ACCC was also concerned, launching court action in December against Kimberly-Clark Australia and Pental for making false or misleading claims by saying their products disintegrate as well as toilet paper.

'The impression given by the representations which Kimberly-Clark and Pental each made about these products was that they were suitable to be flushed down household toilets in Australia, when this was not the case,' ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.

The German retailer stocks a range of Green Action flushable bathroom cleaning wipes its website and packaging said could be flushed, one at a time, after use

A survey found customers were easily influenced by the advertising as 73 per cent of consumers believed wet wipes wouldn't block drains.

A further 67 per cent thought it would break up like toilet paper, and according to Sydney Water a quarter of people flush wet wipes.

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In Sydney alone, 1,000 tonnes of wet wipes had to be removed from the wastewater system in the past two years and they are blamed for about 75 per cent of all sewer blockages.

'Just because something is flushable doesn't mean it breaks down,' Sydney Water spokesman Peter Hadfield said.

'Technically my phone is flushable, but that doesn't mean it should go down the toilet.'

Wet wipes are are blamed for about 75 per cent of all sewer blockages

The ACCC launched court action against Kimberly-Clark Australia and Pental for making false or misleading claims by saying their products (pictured) disintegrate as well as toilet paper

Queensland Urban Utilities said fixing blockages cost it about $2.5 million a year, with wet wipes largely to blame.

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix - which plumbers like Darren Clancy vouched for.

'To call these flushable is insane... they're not breaking down and in some cases not even moving out of the pipes,' he told Choice.

'I've been doing this job for 30 years and wipes are now causing the worst blockages I've ever seen.'

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix - which plumbers like Darren Clancy vouched for

A survey found customers were easily influenced by the advertising as 73 per cent of consumers believed wet wipes wouldn't block drains

Choice tested 11 wet wipes claiming to be flushable for six hours in an agitator system that mimicked the environment of a waterway system.

Toilet paper broke up within minutes but the wet wipes remained intact apart from some tears.

Aldi's products were not among those tested and the supermarket insisted the new wipes met the INDA /EDANA Flushable Assessment (GD3 ) (FG501-FG507 ) and were biodegradable.

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix

Choice tested 11 wet wipes claiming to be flushable for six hours in an agitator system that mimicked the environment of a waterway system - and found wet wipes barely broke up

Its website also claimed they were eco-friendly and not harmful to the environment.

'Without compromising on performance and quality, we have restricted the use of harmful chemicals to limit our impact on the ecosystem,' it stated.

'More of the Green Action packaging is recyclable, reusable and made from sustainable materials to conserve natural resources. 

'This offers peace of mind knowing you are using products that are less harmful to the environment.'

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