Standards are applied to protect buyers, consumers and users. They are used to demonstrate a commitment to the community’s expectation of a safe and sustainable Australia and are recognised as a value-add to Australia’s economic efficiency, trade and international...
Federal Parliament has increased maximum financial penalties under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). In its final report on the ACL Review, Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) recommended penalties for a breach of the ACL be raised from $1.1 million...
A further three furniture product safety recalls have been reported this week, with all three posing a potential choking/suffocation hazard to young children. Concerns are increasing over product that is not only unsafe, but that also does not contain the necessary...
Did you know, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has a free service available to confidentially report information about suspected breaches of Australian biosecurity laws? Redline allows callers to report matters that may not be detected, reported or...
In recent times the headlines have read ‘IKEA Re-announces recall of MALM and other models of chests and dressers due to serious tip-over hazard; 8th child fatality reported; consumers urged to choose between refund or repair. These headlines have been related to US...
Are you aware that your business is responsible for any product that you import, manufacture, sell, supply or distribute? This means that you can be held liable for any defect or other condition that renders the product unsafe and results in injury, death or damage....
Sofas that have been falsely sold as ‘leather’, recliner mechanisms that don’t work properly causing injury, lounge cushions that come apart at the seams, complaints handling call centres that refuse to take calls, sub-standard repairs and toxic smells that emit from...
Each year, thousands of people end up in emergency rooms after serious chair accidents. People fall when chairs collapse, fingers are severed by chairs with jagged edges, hands get crushed between seats and their bases and stems or bases can snap causing serious body...
The Australian Border Force (ABF) is continuing its operational focus on trade enforcement, seizing ten Chinese-made pianos falsely claiming to be Australian made. Pianos are considered furniture products and as such have the same regulatory requirements as other...
Nine in ten Australians said they will purchase from Amazon Australia if it delivers on its lofty promises, according to a study commissioned by parcel delivery service, CouriersPlease. The results of an independent survey of 1,001 Australian adults who have shopped...
The Australasian Furnishing Association is alarmed to learn that four separate baby cots have been recalled the ACCC in just one month. Even more alarming is the fact that all three were sold online. ‘With the impending launch of Amazon into Australia, we’re concerned...
Bean bags are a comfortable addition to any household, but they can pose a serious risk to young children and babies. In the 1990s, several deaths were reported when children unzipped their bean bags and crawled inside. The children inhaled the small, fibrous pellets...
The AFA has been liaising with Government to look into tipping furniture as it poses an ongoing threat to Australians. The AFA is pleased Australia’s consumer watchdog has launched a safety investigation into a popular series of drawers by Swedish furniture...
SGS has joined the ranks of premium partners for the benefit of Australasian Furnishing Association Members. SGS company will provide up-to-date technical information and testing services to AFA’s Members internationally “SGS has accepted an invitation to become a...
The purpose of this letter is to remind AFA Members of the Federal Court of Australia decision following action taken by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) against Woolworths Limited (Woolworths) relating to the supply of unsafe products to...
Damage caused in transit can render a product unsafe, create new hazards or increase existing ones. Suppliers must ensure their packaging is fit for purpose, and designed to minimise all risks of damage to maintain the integrity of the product. With the increase of...
The Australasian Furnishing Association is alarmed to learn that four separate baby cots have been recalled by the ACCC in just one month. Even more alarming is the fact that all three were sold online. ‘With the impending launch of Amazon into Australia, we’re...
Are you aware that your business is responsible for any furnishing product that you import, manufacture, sell, supply or distribute? This means that you can be held liable for any defect or other condition that renders the product unsafe and results in injury, death...
You can register for product safety recall alerts If you sell products – it pays to be aware of how products fare in your market sector. If a product similar to one that you sell gets recalled it can impact your business. It is illegal to sell recalled products. Most...
