Published
New South Wales Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts is urging families to exercise caution when shopping for Mother’s Day gifts and to check for approval marks or trade marks on all electrical items.
Mr Roberts said unapproved electrical goods, however inexpensive, were a bad investment.
“Shower Mum with love on Mother’s Day, not sparks from an exploding hairdryer, hair straightener, kitchen or bathroom appliance,” he said.
“Unapproved electrical products often fail safety checks and are highly unreliable and dangerous.”
“Be particularly wary of heavily discounted products found at local markets, car boot sales and in classified ads. Products designed to look like trusted quality brands can dupe well-meaning consumers.”
New South Wales Fair Trading investigators carry out more than 2,000 random inspections every year, identifying and removing dangerous appliances from sale, but some still find their way into the market.
Mother’s Day shoppers should look out for:
- a regulatory compliance mark (the tick in a triangle) or Australian approval number on the nameplate – Australian approval numbers start with the first letter of the state followed by a number eg. N or NSW 20123 for electrical products approved by NSW Fair Trading
- normal operating voltage of 240 volts and,
- warranty cards or instructions.
Not all electrical items are ‘declared’ and required to have a mark. Shoppers should also look for genuine trade marks or trade names to ensure products are genuine.
Mr Roberts said anyone offered unapproved or counterfeit electrical appliances should contact Fair Trading with details.
For further information about electrical safety and examples of approval marks go to the New South Wales Fair Trading website or call 13 32 20.
Mr Roberts said family members should also check refund policies when buying gifts for Mum and keep receipts.
“Don‟t assume you can simply return an item of clothing that doesn‟t fit, or perfume Mum doesn‟t like and receive a full refund,” he said.
Fair Trading receives thousands of complaints every year about refunds and stores are only required to provide a refund if: the goods are faulty or defective; they are not fit for the purpose intended; or, they are different to the sample shown or what was described.
Contact details
General inquiries
NSW Fair Trading 13 32 20