Children and baby products have consistently failed safety standards conducted by consumer lobby group CHOICE, prompting a campaign by the watchdog.
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Head of campaigns and policy Sarah Agar said CHOICE was calling for urgent reform to Australia’s product safety system for children’s products, including cots and strollers.
“From portable cots that fail suffocation tests to strollers with finger traps, safety failures are so routine it’s clear that manufacturers are not prioritising safety,” Ms Agar said.
About 60 portable cots were tested between 2011 and 2018 and 73 per cent (44) had serious failures that included the risk of suffocation, falls, instability (tipping over) or head/neck entrapment.
Of the 129 strollers tested over the same period, 66 per cent (85) had serious failures that included the risk of strangulation, falls, head entrapment or instability (leading to stroller collapse or tips).
Serious failures were also recorded during tests of cots. About 139 cots were tested during 2012-17 and 37 per cent (51) recorded failures that included the risk of strangulation, suffocation, falls, limb entrapment, instability or head/neck entrapment.
“When you buy a product, you should be able to trust that it’s safe and won’t harm you or your loved ones,” Ms Agar said.
“Unfortunately, as these test results highlight, that isn’t always the case. In Australia, there is currently no positive legal obligation in our consumer law that says businesses need to make sure that all products are safe before they hit the shelves.”
“Instead, our product safety system is largely reactive, with businesses taking action after products are found to be unsafe, usually after sale. This approach is failing us all.”
There is no market-wide, proactive legal requirement for manufacturers or retailers. Some high-risk products must meet mandatory safety standards to be sold in Australia.
“The federal government needs to act urgently to update our product safety law, and stop the flow of potentially dangerous products into our homes,” Ms Agar said.
For a full list of the tested products or to join the campaign click here.