The voluntary initiative commits signatories to 12 product safety actions, that go beyond ordinary legal requirements, and which aim to prevent the sale of unsafe goods online.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says that while unsafe products present a risk of injury or death year-round, it is reminding consumers to shop safely during the pre-Christmas sales.
The ACCC estimates that at least two people die and 145 people a day are injured and require medical attention as a result of unsafe products.
The first report on how signatories to the pledge have performed against the commitments, released today, highlights some of the ways businesses have addressed product safety risks through technological enhancements.
“We are pleased with the measures implemented by the signatories which are helping to ensure consumers can have a safer experience when shopping online,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“We welcome and encourage other online businesses, particularly those facilitating marketplace services, to join the pledge to further strengthen online marketplace safety.”
The ACCC says that online businesses facilitating marketplace services that are interested in strengthening their product safety policies are encouraged to visit the Australian Product Safety Pledge website for more information.
“Some of the new innovations used by current signatories include predictive technology and web crawling to ensure that unsafe product listings are removed as soon as possible,” the ACCC notes.
“The current signatories to the pledge are AliExpress, Amazon Australia, Catch.com.au, eBay Australia and MyDeal.com.au, which together account for a significant share of online sales in Australia.
“The ACCC has also worked with the OECD in issuing a communique that encourages international regulators to adopt consistent product safety pledges worldwide.”
“With the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales we are also urging shoppers to be careful and consider product safety when buying online,” Rickard said.
“It’s important to know who you are buying from; make sure you do your research and read online customer reviews about the seller or product.”
Consumers are also encouraged to check the ACCC’s shopping online safely tips on the Product Safety Australia website before buying products online.
“Some children’s toys and clothing are required to display safety warnings, look out for them on the product listing and check if the product is age appropriate before buying,” Rickard said.
The ACCC says that in Australia, around one in 10 product safety recall notices relate to unsafe toys, posing risks to children ranging from injuries such as cuts, bruising or burns, to choking and suffocation.
The ACCC has previously estimated that one in every four households contain an unsafe product that has been recalled.