National Website for Product Safety Launched
Comment
The new national website for product safety information was launched recently, providing a single point of entry for shoppers to view and read about product safety, consumer product FAQs, and more.
Developed by the ACCC in collaboration with the state fair trading and consumer product regulators, the Product Safety Australia website was developed to provide product safety information nationally, and includes details of products subject to mandatory safety standards or bans, as well as product myths and frequently asked questions.
Shoppers and shop owners can sign up to be notified by email when information from a selected category, such as Homewares, is available. The site also makes it easier for shoppers to contact the relevant product regulators and make inquiries or complaints about unsafe products.
The product safety system has a mixture of information sources that relies on consumers, retail suppliers and government agencies to ensure new and existing products work safely.
This mixture includes:
- Voluntary actions by suppliers
- Government laws that give incentives for making safe products
- Restrictions on selling unsafe products
- Information and education that enables shoppers to choose safe products and use them safely.
Being a positive step towards a national product safety standard, I think this web site will help shoppers and retailers to be aware of dodgy products, products officially banned from sale, product recalls and more.
