Published
The ACCC has published updated guidelines to assist suppliers when they need to recall a product for safety reasons. The guidelines also inform suppliers of their Australian Consumer Law obligations and the ACCC’s role in assessing, monitoring and escalating recalls.
Guidance and tools have been developed in consultation with industry to ensure suppliers can provide clear and effective communications to consumers.
The product safety recall process involves:
- stopping the supply of a product
- informing the relevant authorities of the problem
- warning consumers of the hazard the product presents, and
- offering consumers a remedy in the form of a repair, replacement or refund.
Under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), suppliers are required to notify the Commonwealth Minister responsible for consumer policy within two days of initiating a voluntary recall action. If a death or serious injury or illness has been associated with a product, suppliers also need to lodge a mandatory report with the ACCC.