Product Safety for consumers
Consumers have a right to expect that products they buy work properly without any risk of causing illness or injury.
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Consumers have a right to expect that products they buy work properly without any risk of causing illness or injury.
A business must ensure their products meet acceptable levels of safety and will not cause harm when used as intended. Products must meet the requirements of relevant mandatory standards and bans.
New and existing products are monitored by state and territory regulators, who can conduct investigations and remove products from sale.
You can help protect yourself and your family by:
- Visiting the Product Safety Australia website and checking for recalls and banned products;
- Checking your products meet mandatory standards;
- Following product instructions for assembly and use; and
- Reporting accidents or concerns to Consumer Protection so we can detect any trends with particular products and investigate if need be.
Get the guide to your product safety responsibilities
A new national product safety guide, designed to help businesses identify potentially dangerous or banned products and ensure they meet national mandatory safety standards, is now available.
The Product safety guide for business is in three languages English, Vietnamese and Chinese and features photographs of many of the currently banned products.
The guide is a useful resource for retailers and manufacturers of goods that are sold in discount variety stores, ‘two dollar shops’, market stalls, baby goods and toy stores, and others, about their responsibilities under Australia’s national product safety laws.
There are significant penalties for selling banned or non-compliant goods and it is the responsibility of a business, whether it be wholesale or retail, to ensure that any product they plan to sell complies with Australia’s product safety laws before it is stocked.
The Product safety guide for business has been developed in partnership between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and state and territory consumer protection agencies.
Get the guide
The Product safety guide for business is avaiable online or ordered by contacting the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.
Tips for businesses:
- Visit productsafety.gov.au for more information, and to sign up for email alerts on product safety laws.
- Register at recalls.gov.au to receive email alerts about product recalls.
Product Safety in Australia
Product Safety laws are consistent across the country. A national 'one-stop-shop' Product Safety Australia website gives consumers, suppliers and retailers access to timely and important information to help ensure safer shopping and product use.
The website provides information on standards, recalls, bans and other helpful information. Products covered include:
- Chemicals in consumer products: Bisphenol A (BPA), lead paint, etc
- Clothing & accessories: care labelling, sunglasses, tongue studs, etc
- Confectionery
- Furniture: bean bags, bunk beds, novelty furniture, etc
- Hardware & building materials: fire extinguishers, ladders, insulation, etc
- Health & cosmetics; contact lenses, toothpaste, etc
- Home wares: candles, hot water bottles, knives, etc
- Infant & nursery: bath aids, carriers, dummies, prams, etc
- Novelties: inflatable toys, cigarettes, lanterns, yo-yo water balls, etc
- Spas & swimming pools: skimmer boxes, filters, outlets and covers.
- Sports & recreation: basketball hoops, helmets, soccer goals, trampolines, etc
- Tobacco & smoking accessories: disposable lighters, product labelling, etc
- Toys: baby toys, balloons, cubby houses & tents, flotation & aquatic toys
- Vehicle accessories; car restraints; tinted headlight covers, jacks, mobility scooters, etc
- Window furnishings: blind and curtain cords
Product Safety in WA
The Western Australian Product Safety Unit provides advice and information to businesses and consumers on product safety. They monitor the market and investigate unsafe products and, where necessary, remove them from the marketplace.
Product Safety do not regulate all products sold in Western Australia. Various other Government agencies also have a role in regulating certain products or industries.
Investigations
Investigations of potentially dangerous products generally involves research and consultation with a variety of stakeholders. Investigations include gathering information about the product and any existing regulations, testing products, liaising with retailers, distributors and manufacturers, and discussing matters with advisory bodies. Investigations may result in prosecutions or infringement notices being issued if traders are found to have acted in breach of product safety laws.
Publications
Consumer Protection produces the “Safety for kids in the home” brochures. They provide information on mandatory standards, what to look for when buying products and how to make products safer in the home:
- Consumer Protection's publications page
- Product Safety Australia publications list
- Food labelling fact sheet
More information
To find our more about the national product safety laws visit Product Safety Australia.
To report a concern about a product or ask for advice contact the Product Safety Unit by email or call 1300 30 40 54 .