Published
Fair Trading Minister Stuart Ayres is urging families to be on the lookout for unapproved electrical goods when shopping for Mother’s Day gifts.
“They might look like a bargain, but unapproved electrical goods such as hair straighteners, hair dryers and kitchen or bathroom appliances are a bad investment,” Mr Ayres said.
“Appliances that fail to meet Australia’s stringent standards may not merely prove to be highly unreliable. They can also be incredibly dangerous.”
Mr Ayres said consumers were particularly vulnerable when shopping at markets or online, where counterfeit and unapproved goods were most likely to be found.
“Don’t scrimp on Mum by making price the sole consideration when buying electrical gifts. Shop with reputable retailers and look for genuine trademarks and trade names to ensure you are getting what you paid for,” he said.
Mother’s Day shoppers should look out for the following and anyone offered unapproved or counterfeit electrical appliances should contact Fair Trading on 13 32 20.
- a regulatory compliance mark (the tick in a triangle)
- An Australian approval number on the nameplate (Australian approval numbers start with the first letter of the state followed by a number e.g. N or NSW 20123 for electrical products approved by NSW Fair Trading)
- Normal operating voltage of 240 volts
- Warranty cards or instructions.
Mr Ayres also urged shoppers to brush up on their consumer rights in the lead up to Mother’s Day.
“Make sure you are aware of a store’s refund policy before you make your purchase and remember, signs that simply say ‘no refunds or exchanges’ are illegal under the Australian Consumer Law,” he said.
“While there is no compulsion on any retailer to exchange or refund if mum doesn’t like the gift or it is the wrong colour, if the item purchased is faulty, not fit for purpose or does not correspond with the description online or on the packaging, the retailer must offer the consumer redress.”
Mr Ayres advised consumers to download Fair Trading’s free ShopSmart app which provides a wealth of information on online shopping and refund, warranty and lay-by rights. Shoppers are also able to store photos of their receipts on the app and set reminders for expiry dates of gift vouchers, lay-bys and warranties.
To check electrical approval marks go to Fair Trading website.
See below image of potentially dangerous lamps recently detected at the Easter Show by NSW Fair Trading.
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Potentially dangerous lamps and plug