Asia Source Australia's elastic luggage straps fail product safety standard

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Asia Source Australia Pty Ltd to stop the supply of elastic luggage straps with warning labels that failed the mandatory product safety standard.*

"The straps failed the product safety standard because the warning label had incorrect information and was not permanently attached", ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today. "To use the straps, it was necessary to pull the end hook piece over the label thus causing the label to come off.

"The labels warn users about the risk of facial and eye injuries when using the straps and warn against using damaged or worn straps".

Asia Source Australia supplied the non-compliant elastic luggage straps which it imported from China, under the brands Porta Hardware and Bilst mainly to discount variety stores.

Asia Source Australia has undertaken to:

• cease sale of the Porta Hardware and Bilst elastic luggage straps
• establish a process for voluntarily recalling the straps from retail stores
• arrange for the display of in-store notices to inform consumers about how to return the straps for a refund of the purchase price
• refrain in the future from supplying elastic luggage straps with labels that do not comply with the mandatory product safety standard, and
• implement a trade practices compliance program.

"Mandatory product safety standards are in place to protect consumers", Mr Samuel said. "Importers, wholesalers and retailers supplying products that are manufactured and labelled overseas, particularly discount variety stores, must ensure the products meet the requirements of all Australian mandatory product safety standards".

Background

*Section 65C of the Trade Practices Act 1974 prohibits a company supplying consumer goods in respect of which there is a prescribed consumer product safety standard and which do not comply with that standard. The mandatory product safety standard for elastic luggage straps is specified in Regulation 11C of the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard) Regulations 1979.