Get to know our Consumer Product Safety Division

We sat down with Neville Matthew, General Manager of our Risk Management and Policy Branch to chat about the important work of the Consumer Product Safety Division.

What does your team do?

We work to raise awareness of product safety risks and address them to protect Australian consumers.

This includes through overseeing the management and progress of recalls of unsafe consumer products; developing and reviewing mandatory consumer product safety standards; advocating for law reform; and liaising with specialist regulatory agencies. We also raise awareness of product safety risks and business responsibilities through education, engagement and compliance activities, including through the Australian Product Safety Pledge signed by online marketplaces.

Consultation with stakeholders on emerging and persistent product safety issues help us develop the ACCC’s annual Product Safety Priorities.

Why is product safety so important?

While products are usually made without intention to harm the user, we continue to see many unsafe products end up in consumers’ homes and they need to be recalled. The risks may not be obvious, and injuries can vary – they may include cuts or wounds, internal or external injuries, choking, illnesses, strangulation, suffocation, drowning, and more. Some could be fatal or life-altering.

Paying attention to how the product is made and designed, how it will be used, and what information, warnings and instructions need to come with it, is vital.

We know young children are among the most vulnerable users of consumer products. This is also why a lot of the consumer products that are subject to mandatory safety standards in Australia are products which are used by babies or young children, or that pose particular risks to them.

But products can be recalled whether or not there is a mandatory standard involved – if they are likely to cause harm, they need to be recalled and we expect quick action from suppliers.

Last year there were 197 recalls of general consumer products in Australia – not including motor vehicles, food or therapeutic goods, which are handled by specialist regulators. Even more concerningly, there were more than 80 recalls of products that posed a danger to babies and children.?

What should a business do if they are made aware of an unsafe product that they sell?

You must protect consumers and move quickly to recall it. You have a responsibility to remove the risk to public safety as quickly as possible.

This means removing the product from sale, contacting consumers, and publicly offering a solution for consumers – such as repair, replacement, refund.

When you begin recalling a product, you must tell us about it within two days. We have guidelines with checklists and templates on our website to help you complete the process, and you can also submit your recall there.

You must also submit a mandatory report within two days of becoming aware of any death, serious injury or illness associated with a consumer product you supplied.

It is critical that consumers are alerted as quickly as possible about unsafe products –consumers appreciate businesses that are honest about safety risks. Failing to act quickly and appropriately risks harming consumers and the reputation of your business.