AT LEAST 10 people are injured by unsafe products per day, new figures show.
Mandatory reports provided to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission by manufacturers and retailers show faulty products cause serious injury and harm to thousands of people.
“Ten injuries a day due to defective products is alarming, but we suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg as many more consumers don’t report injuries to the product suppliers at all,” said the commission’s deputy chair Delia Rickard.
“Australians would be surprised to hear that it is not illegal to supply unsafe products in Australia, as it is in a range of places like the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Malaysia and Brazil. We think consumers should be able to expect the products they purchase aren’t going to cause them an injury.”
“The number of Australians being injured by unsafe products is far too high, and we encourage people to sign up to recalls information or follow us on social media so they can be alerted to any potential risks in their homes,” Ms Rickard said.
In the last financial year, more than 4.5 million items were recalled by suppliers, including air bags and medication.
Recall notifications peaked significantly in the summer months, with products ranging from cars and caravans, to children’s toys and prams. Around half of these notifications are referred to specialist safety regulators for assessment, like food, building products and hazardous chemicals.
According to the ACCC, the consistently high number of recalls suggest the need for a General Safety Provision, currently being considered by Consumer Affairs Ministers, which would require businesses to ensure the safety of the goods they sell.
“We strongly support the introduction of a General Safety Provision by the Australian Government, which is designed to stop unsafe goods from being sold in Australia,” Ms Rickard said.
“Consumers are encouraged to sign up to Product Safety Australia email alert to keep up to date with current recalls. When it comes to safety, you don’t want to take unnecessary risks.”
