26 September 2023

Fair Trading strikes on Fathers’ day gifts

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NSW Fair Trading has completed a special pre-Fathers Day retail safety survey to ensure electrical and gas products being sold as possible Father’s Day gifts are safe and compliant.

The two-week marketplace surveillance operation targeted variety discount stores, barbeque retailers, camping stores and larger retailers across Sydney’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.

Fair Trading Commissioner, Rose Webb said Fair Trading officers had uncovered a few Father’s Day favourites such as gas camping cookers, massagers and chargers that were non‑compliant.

“The team inspected over 3,500 electrical and gas appliances because of the popularity of these items around Father’s Day,” Ms Webb said.

“Ten non-compliant products were uncovered and while most businesses were doing the right thing it was concerning to find a few potentially dangerous items,” she said.

“A number of gas camping cookers, a popular choice for dads, were uncovered without approval marks.”

Ms Webb said consumers should be aware that gas appliances for sale without an attached, recognised label may be non-compliant and therefore potentially unsafe.

She said the problem electrical products found included massagers, chargers and adapters that were not marked with an approval number.

“An approval number shows that an item has been certified against Australian Standards and can be sold in NSW,” Ms Webb said.

“Consumers have the right to expect that the goods they buy are safe, no matter what the bargain price is.”

Ms Webb advised consumers not to purchase any product without an approval mark or number and to report it to Fair Trading.

More information about what to look out for when purchasing gas and electrical items can be found on the Fair Trading website at this PS News link.

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