Suppliers may recall goods on their own initiative, or after discussion with the ACCC, if:

  • their goods or their reasonably foreseeable use may cause injury
  • the goods don't comply with a safety standard, or
  • the goods have been banned.

A supplier must give the Commonwealth minister a written notice within 48 hours of initiating the recall. The information required in the notice will depend on the reasons for the recall. A supplier must also give a notice about the recall to anyone they have supplied the goods to outside Australia. A copy of this notice must also be given to the Commonwealth minister within 10 days of issue.

How to comply

When a recall notice applies, the suppliers to whom it is directed must comply with its directives and must not, as part of a business, supply goods of the kind to which it refers.

A supplier of goods must keep informed of, and comply with, any compulsory recall notices that may apply to those goods. Information on recalls is available on the Product Safety Australia website.