Bunks and Bean Bags top the list of failures
A further nine furniture product safety recalls were reported to the ACCC this month, with Bunk Beds and Bean Bags heading the list and eBay being amongst the sellers under scrutiny. Retailers have been warned to meet their obligations. Concerns are increasing over...Focus on furnishing industry standards now at critical point
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...Consumers to benefit from increased penalties under Australian Consumer Law
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...AMAZON & EBAY SUBJECT TO RECALLS OF FURNITURE PRODUCTS – ACTION REQUIRED
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...IKEA recall of children’s furniture still on the minds of young families
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...Importers Beware – YOU are legally responsible for the goods YOU import
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....Consumers put furniture through the Australian Consumer Law test on a regular basis
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...Rise in injury claims for chair accidents at restaurants and other businesses
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...Australian Border Force seize “Australian made” fakes
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...AMAZON may not be the AMAZING solution when it comes to Consumer Safety
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...Four baby cots recalled in one month
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...Australian Bean Bag Regulation Loop Holes Closed: Ensuring Children’s Safety
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...Penalties of up to $150,000 for Non Compliance
The Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Act is now in force.From 1 January 2018, importers of regulated timber products into Australia.
Tipping Furniture Warning
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...AFA Makes Submission on behalf of Industry Members
The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) welcomed the opportunity to make a submission to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) on reforming Australia’s Illegal Logging regulations.