The ACCC is pleased to announce Fruugo has joined the Australian Product Safety Pledge.
Fruugo is the sixth online marketplace to sign the pledge. It joins Amazon Australia, eBay Australia, AliExpress, Gumtree and Temu.
The pledge is a voluntary agreement administered and recently strengthened by the ACCC. It sets out 15 product safety commitments that go beyond current legal requirements for online marketplaces. Signatories report annually to the ACCC on how they are meeting these commitments.
By signing the pledge, Fruugo shows its willingness to proactively strengthen its product safety policies and practices. This is under a framework where expectations are public and results are measurable.
Commitments under the pledge include:
- providing a clear pathway for consumers to report unsafe products
- regularly monitoring Australian and international product safety websites for information on recalled or unsafe products
- removing unsafe product listings within 2 business days of being notified and requested
- improving systems to detect unsafe products and taking action against sellers who repeatedly list them
- providing a dedicated contact point for Australian regulators to request takedowns of recalled or unsafe products and communicate about product safety issues.
The ACCC welcomes Fruugo as the latest signatory to the pledge. We encourage other online marketplaces interested in joining to contact the ACCC for more information.
Background
Fruugo is a UK-based online marketplace that connects consumers with third-party sellers. It operates across more than 40 countries and sells a wide range of products. These include electronics, health and beauty products, fashion, toys, books, sports equipment and furniture.
The pledge was developed by the ACCC, in collaboration with the initial pledge signatories. It was developed in response to the growth of online shopping and the challenges associated with managing product safety in the online marketplace. It was modelled on a similar initiative in the European Union.
The ACCC is not endorsing any online marketplace’s performance or compliance practices when they sign the pledge.
Signing the pledge does not replace a business’s obligations under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, including the Australian Consumer Law, or other relevant legislation. It also does not prevent the ACCC or other regulatory authorities from taking enforcement action where appropriate.