A man has admitted to selling purportedly high-quality Australian building products when they were in fact sourced elsewhere.
Three other men have pleaded not guilty to similar accusations.
Darryl Campbell was one of four men charged by the Commerce Commission after it received a complaint that the men had allegedlysold an autoclaved aerated concrete product claiming to be made by Australian company Hebel.
The concrete, which is used for building walls, floors and buildings, was actually made by other companies, some if not all of them based in China.
The lawyer representing all four men, Rob Latton, said it was claimed that they had started using the alternative products from 2007 when their supplier was unable to provide a particular thickness of Hebel panel.
Campbell pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court today to nine charges under the Fair Trading Act relating to misrepresenting the products.
The other three men, who have interim name suppression, face 16 charges, three charges and one charge respectively.
Not guilty pleas were entered in their absence this afternoon. A further name suppression hearing before Judge Philipa Cunningham has been scheduled for April 10.
