Consumer groups are calling on the industry’s watchdog to take more action against online retail giants, with Choice claiming too many Australians are being exposed to potentially dangerous and illegal products.
They’re cute and colourful but a cigarette lighter that looks like a toy and a fake tongue stud are both banned in Australia but remain available online.
Dangerous Products Flood Online Marketplaces
“We’ve found numerous potentially banned products in our latest investigation,” said Andy Kelly from Choice. Choice has complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), claiming unsafe products are continuing to flood some of the world’s biggest marketplaces including Amazon, AliExpress, eBay and Temu.
“We need stronger product safety laws to actually force these online marketplaces to take responsibility and stop these products being listed before they’re even sold,” Kelly said.
Beyond Novelty Items
The problem extends beyond novelty items. Laura Campbell, founder of Hackerlily, a baby carrier which has been copied by sellers overseas, says Australia’s market is unregulated and customers don’t know who they’re buying from.
“This is one of the hip seats I got off Temu and what is also missing from this hip seat is a safety loop catch,” she said.
“So there’s real risks involved with cheaply made carriers. The fastenings can break, the instructions are often very negligent,” Australian Baby Wearing Association’s Brooke Allen-Rhodes said.
ACCC Takes Action
The consumer watchdog says product safety is a priority. It launched its first Federal Court case against Amazon last week over alleged button battery safety breaches, and just yesterday it ordered the removal of potentially deadly magnetic toys sold online.
“So this is a really serious problem. The scale is only getting worse,” Kelly said.
