ACCC concerned about rise in recalled goods

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned about an alarming rise in recalled products in recent years.

Hoverboard on fire

Malfunctioning hoverboards were just one of the 670 products recalled in Australia in the past financial year. Source: New Orleans Advocate

Australia has seen a rise in recalled goods and food products in recent years, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported.

ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said people needed to check their homes for items that may have been recalled.

"There were 670 recalls in Australia last financial year compared to 596 in the previous financial year," Ms Rickard said.

"Consumers can easily check our  information to ensure they don’t have any unsafe goods lying around in their homes or garages, and act quickly to remove potentially harmful products from their homes if they have been recalled."
recall, products, ACCC
The list of product categories recalled in Australia in the past financial year. Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Ms Rickard said the site could also be useful for businesses to make sure they were not selling products subject to a recall.

"Our new product safety site is fully mobile responsive enabling you to keep up-to-date on the latest product recalls and safety information from any device," she said.

"By following the advice on this site, you can buy and use products wisely and protect yourself."

Among the items recalled during the past financial year were cars, motorcycles, children's toys, lettuce leaves, and electronic goods, like hoverboards and washing machines.

Cars accounted for the highest number of recalls, with 182 recorded, up from 169 on the previous financial year.

Food and grocery recalls increased dramatically, rising to 123 in the past financial year, up from 71 in the previous year.

Problems with recalled food items included foreign objects, like bits of plastic or metal, found in food stuffs and allergens not listed on the label as well as contaminated food.

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2 min read
Published 2 August 2016 11:59am
Source: SBS News


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