Products sold in New Zealand must be safe to use. Report accidents, near-misses, or unsafe products to suppliers or a government agency.
How it works
All products must be safe. Suppliers (manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers) are responsible for ensuring their products are safe to use.
Some products that pose extra risks, especially to very young children, have minimum safety requirements. Examples of products with minimum safety standards include:
- cigarette lighters
- pedal bikes
- cots
- baby walkers
- children’s toys
- children’s nightwear.
A number of government agencies enforce product safety rules, eg Ministry for Primary Industries and Commerce Commission.
It's also your responsibility to use products safely and keep them in good condition.
If a product has safety issues, the supplier will usually issue a recall notice.
Unsafe goods notices(external link) — Product Safety
About us(external link) — Product Safety
Your rights
The Consumer Guarantees Act says products must be of acceptable quality, including safe to use.
If a product is unsafe — or doesn't meet mandatory product safety requirements — you have the right to a refund, repair, or replacement.
If you think that something you have bought this holiday season is unsafe to use, what should you do?
Try to resolve it with the supplier: Contacting the supplier helps them identify and act on safety concerns. The supplier is responsible for the safety of their products. If a product is unsafe you can demand a refund or an equivalent alternative.
Report it to a government agency: Contacting the relevant government agency helps them identify issues that need a wider response, eg a nationwide recall, new safety standards for certain products.
This table on the Trading Standards website lists which government agency can help based on your product safety issue:
What we do and don't do, and who can help(external link) — Trading Standards
If things go wrong
If you have been injured by a product — or are concerned that a product might be unsafe:
Try to resolve it with the supplier: Contacting the supplier helps them identify and act on safety concerns. The supplier is responsible for the safety of their products. If a product is unsafe you can demand a refund or an equivalent alternative.
Report it to a government agency: Contacting the relevant government agency helps them identify issues that need a wider response, eg a nationwide recall, new safety standards for certain products.
This table on the Trading Standards website lists which government agency can help based on your product safety issue.
What we do and don't do, and who can help(external link) — Product Safety