Australian Online Retailers Face Scrutiny Over Product Safety
Online retailers in Australia have removed nearly 3,000 unsafe products; however, some businesses reportedly resumed selling potentially hazardous items or were slow to remove them. This information comes from a report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Concerns Over Product Safety
Consumer watchdog Choice stated that these findings suggest "product safety washing" might be occurring within Australia's $60 billion online retail sector. Andy Kelly, Choice's campaign director, defined safety washing as platforms projecting high safety standards without taking substantial measures to protect consumers. He noted that most Australians are unaware of this issue.
"Product safety washing" is defined as platforms projecting high safety standards without taking substantial measures to protect consumers.
The Australian Product Safety Pledge
The Australian Product Safety Pledge, a voluntary initiative established by the ACCC in 2020, includes Amazon Australia, eBay Australia, and AliExpress as current signatories. Catch and myDeal left the scheme in 2025. The ACCC is reportedly collaborating with signatories to implement stricter requirements.
Last year's annual report for the pledge, which did not name specific operational retailers, indicated that one business resumed selling unsafe products after their initial removal. Additionally, another platform removed unsafe products within the required two-day timeframe in only 69 percent of cases.
Spokespeople for Amazon Australia and eBay Australia affirmed their commitment to product safety, detailing their use of automated technology and human investigators to identify and remove unsafe items. Alibaba, the parent company of AliExpress, did not provide a comment.
Calls for Regulatory Reform
Since 2020, Choice has advocated for Australia to ban the sale of unsafe goods, aligning with regulations in the European Union, Canada, and the United States. Current Australian laws are reactive, imposing fines on companies that breach safety standards, with 18 companies fined since 2016.
A 2024 survey revealed that most people mistakenly believe businesses are legally mandated to ensure product safety. Mr. Kelly criticized the performance of some pledge signatories, highlighting the need for reform in Australian consumer law to prohibit the sale of unsafe goods.
Mr. Kelly urged online operators to take meaningful action on safety rather than using the ACCC pledge merely as a "marketing badge."
Temu's Pledge Application and Lawsuit
Temu, a prominent online retailer in Australia, applied to join the pledge in March 2024 following an incident where an eight-year-old girl sustained burns from a hoodie purchased on its platform. As of last month, Temu and the ACCC confirmed that its application was still under review. The girl's mother, Hannah Jacobs-Herd, viewed Temu's commitment to join the pledge as an example of "product safety washing."
Ms. Jacobs-Herd initiated a lawsuit against Temu, which has reportedly stalled because the platform deferred liability for the recalled hoodie to its Chinese supplier. Temu has since banned that particular seller from selling children's products on its platform. Shine Lawyers, the firm representing Ms. Jacobs-Herd, reported unsuccessful attempts to contact the supplier directly.