There were 670 product recalls in Australia last financial year, compared to 596 in the previous financial year. Some products you may have heard more about than others (hoverboards, anyone?), meaning there still might be some unsafe goods lying around the home. To make things a little easier, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched a new website where you can check for recalled products.
“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,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Rickard says it’s also useful for businesses to ensure that unsafe products are removed from shelves.
This year, the ACCC undertook a project to explore what factors may influence recall success. The major findings were that recall rates are influenced most by 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,” Ms Rickard said.
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.