Published
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe has put online traders of electrical appliances on notice, reminding them of their obligations to supply goods that meet Australian safety standards.
The warning comes in the wake of Operation Gateway, where NSW Fair Trading officers reviewed over 1850 separate electrical items being advertised for sale on websites available in Australia.
“Eight traders were found to be selling electrical products online that do not meet Australia’s stringent safety standards. As a result of the Operation education and enforcement action will be pursued against national and international traders,” Mr Stowe said.
“Fair Trading will continue to conduct regular targeted compliance checks to protect Australian consumers when shopping online. These checks are anonymous and unannounced and on-line traders need to know they can be under surveillance by Fair Trading at any time.
“Traders need to know they can be caught at any time if they are breaking the law.”
For electrical items to be sold lawfully in NSW they must:
- meet essential safety requirements set out in laws and Australian Standards; and
- be certified and have the approved Australian markings to show that the article is compliant. (Overseas approval markings are not accepted).
“Fair Trading has arrangements in place with some of the major on-line traders, including those operating internationally, which means that unapproved and unsafe items can be removed immediately if they are detected being sold into Australia,” Mr Stowe said.
For more information about Fair Trading go to the Fair Trading website.
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