The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is making it easier for consumers to check their consumer goods are safe with the new Product Safety Australia website.
ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard says there were 670 recalls in Australia last financial year compared to 596 in the previous financial year.
“Consumers can easily check our recalls 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,” he explains.
“It doesn't matter if you're at home, work or on the go as 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. By following the advice on this site, you can buy and use products wisely and protect yourself.
“Businesses can also use this helpful tool to ensure that unsafe products are removed from shelves.”
This year, the ACCC undertook a project to explore what factors may influence recall success and these include price point; the availability of a customer list (so suppliers can contact affected consumers); the lifespan of a product, and consumer perception of the risk and hazard of the product.
“Our study indicated that the first eight weeks following notification are the most important. During the first six to eight weeks of a recall campaign, over 80 per cent of all products that are likely to come back are returned,” Rickard adds.
“The ACCC conducted a consumer survey to determine if there is a specific price point at which consumers would be motivated to return recalled consumer products. The poll results suggest that 70 per cent of people will return a recalled good that cost $25 or more.”