Consumer watchdog’s new push to target unsafe household products

The competition watchdog has unveiled a new push to target unsafe household products, saying consumers should not have to choose between affordability and safety when finances are under pressure.

Among its focus for the year ahead include manipulative and false practices and unsafe consumer goods in digital markets; and consumer product safety issues for young children — with a focus on compliance with button battery, infant sleep and toppling furniture mandatory standards.

The watchdog will also prioritise developing standards to improve the safety of e-bikes and other e-micromobility devices and updating mandatory to help improve safety, broaden choice and lower costs.

Fresh from scoring a huge win against Coles, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb unveiled the new focus at the National Consumer Congress on Friday.

She said in just a few years, e-bikes and scooters have shifted from novelty recreational devices to part of the everyday transport mix.

Ms Cass-Gottlieb said as usage had grown, so had safety incidents. The ACCC will focus on speed and power limits, battery safety, and clearer information requirements for consumers.

As for young children’s safety, the watchdog will prioritise compliance with button battery, infant sleep and toppling furniture mandatory standards.

“Button batteries remain a serious hazard facing young children. Small, shiny and easily swallowed, they can cause catastrophic injury within hours,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Our work here will focus on identifying and addressing systemic non-compliance — through enforcement to drive broader deterrence and raise consumer awareness.”

Ms Cass-Gottlieb said new technologies and products were increasingly becoming part of everyday life, and the pace of change was showing no signs of slowing.

“Against this backdrop of financial pressure and rapid change, consumer trust has never mattered more,” she said.

“Consumers expect the products and services they buy to be reliable, safe and accurately represented.

“They expect competition to deliver affordable, innovative, high-quality goods and services and meaningful choice. And they expect their rights to be honoured.”

More importantly, Ms Cass-Gottlieb said, consumers should not have to choose between affordability and safety, particularly at a time when many households are already under financial pressure.