Additional news on this topic

(Note to moderators: please do not lock this thread. As the OP, I posted this originally with the clearly stated intention of its being updated and added to for the benefit of the community.)

ACCC commits to making online marketplaces safer after CHOICE complaint

Unsafe products are harming Australian consumers, including children, and there is an urgent need for reform.

By Choice staff

Last updated: 2 Sep 2026

The ACCC has announced the actions it will take in response to a CHOICE super complaint that exposed the shocking scale of unsafe products being sold online. The announcement confirms that law reform is needed to protect consumers and hold businesses accountable. 

While deciding that investigating the concerning products CHOICE identified would be “challenging” due to gaps in the law, the ACCC confirmed that it will advocate for new general safety protections in response – including developing options for reform. 

Andy Kelly, director of consumer impact at CHOICE says: “It’s great that the ACCC will be advocating for general safety protections to prevent the sale of unsafe products on online marketplaces.”

“It’s extremely disappointing that we have a situation right now where our current laws are so weak that they don’t allow the regulator to act to protect people from clearly unsafe products.”

CHOICE’s complaint about unsafe products being sold in Australia

In June 2026, CHOICE submitted a designated complaint to the ACCC raising concerns that unsafe, banned, prohibited and dangerous goods are reaching Australian consumers through online marketplaces, at scale.

We identified dozens of unsafe products available for sale on online marketplaces like Amazon, AliExpress, Temu, Shein and Ebay. These included products marketed for children under the age of 3, including rattles, teethers and whistles.

The complaint also noted that Australia does not have a general law that prevents the sale of unsafe products. We highlighted that the current product safety regime contains gaps, in particular in relation to online marketplaces which often act as intermediaries between sellers and buyers and are not classed as suppliers under existing Australian Consumer Law.

The complaint also noted that Australia does not have a general law that prevents the sale of unsafe products.

What action is being taken?

The federal government has announced that the Treasury will lead work to strengthen the product safety framework, including by improving mandatory injury reporting, strengthening penalties, and ensuring online marketplaces are subject to mandatory obligations.

“Australian consumers should be able to trust that products they purchase are safe, including when they buy goods online. We currently face challenges where sellers are based overseas or the online marketplace is not the direct supplier, making it difficult to prevent unsafe products sold through online marketplaces from reaching consumers,” ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward said.

“We believe that many of the issues raised in the designated complaint are best addressed through regulatory reforms, including through clear obligations on online marketplaces.

“We also support exploring options for new general safety protections relating to the safety of all consumer goods to further strengthen the product safety framework,” Mr Woodward said.

We urge the government to expedite these critical reforms to protect consumers from harmful products found on online marketplaces

Andrew Kelly, CHOICE director of consumer impact

Kelly says that it is crucial we get these reforms right, and soon, in order to prevent the flood of unsafe products into Australia. 

“It’s great that the ACCC will develop options for these landmark reforms, and that Consumer Ministers have committed to prioritise introducing general safety protections since we made the complaint, but we still don’t have a timeline for when general safety protections will be implemented.”

“We urge the government to expedite these critical reforms to protect consumers from harmful products found on online marketplaces,” he says.

Source: Choice website.

(I am chary about providing the link, due to the new boards’ making it so difficult to providing legitimate links with the whole “pending approval” Circle of Hell.)

Ongoing thread - ongoing issues. (In other words, please don’t lock this thread!)

Yesterday there was another terribly destructive house fire very likely caused by a lithium battery of dodgy origin. Anyone buying unbranded lithium batteries or chargers, or fake branded ones (churned out as cheaply as possible in a Chinese factory), is … well, I was going to be diplomatic, but let’s say it as it is; anyone doing that is behaving like a penny-pinching fool who ignores red flags and risks lives.

Heres’s the link to the ABC article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-08/lithium-ion-battery-house-fire-caroline-springs-warning/106114446

And here’s the article for those who don’t want to click into the link - because it says everything that I and others on these boards have been saying, in the interests of preemptively saving homes and lives.

I’ll highlight the most important sections by bolding them and inserting alert emojis.

❝Lithium-ion battery suspected to have sparked Caroline Springs house fire 

 

Extensive damage was done to a home in Caroline Springs after a blaze on Sunday night. (ABC News)

 

In short:

Fire services are urging people to ‼️⚠️buy lithium-ion battery products from reputable manufacturers after a house fire in Melbourne's west on the weekend was suspected to have been caused by a lithium battery.

 

The frequency of fires sparked by lithium batteries has risen dramatically in recent years.

 

Authorities have reissued the advice ahead of the Christmas shopping period and have reminded product owners to follow safety guidelines for charging lithium-ion batteries.

 

 

Victoria's fire services have reissued warnings over lithium-ion battery products after yet another fire was suspected to have been sparked by a lithium battery on the weekend.

 

Fire services say they are now frequently dealing with fires started by lithium-ion powered products – such as e-scooters, e-bikes, power tools, power banks and mobile phones – as they have become more common in households in recent years.

 

https://youtu.be/jKbNIw9_szg?si=H8rxovUp0uq5otMT 🎥 (7.30 Report Video link)

Lithium-ion batteries are becoming a constant menace for fire services across Australia. (ABC News)

 

On Sunday night a man was taken to hospital with burns to his face after a fire ripped through a family home in Caroline Springs in Melbourne's west.

 

Fire Rescue Victoria said a ‼️⚠️battery charging in the garage was likely to blame.

 

"As fire services we are seeing an increase year-on-year of responding to ‼️⚠️lithium-ion battery fires as a result of those products flooding the market at the moment," Country Fire Authority deputy chief officer Trevor Owen said on Monday.

 

Five people evacuated the home in Caroline Springs before the roof collapsed. (ABC News)

 

"[These fires] can become very volatile and very dangerous very quickly."

 

Authorities have repeatedly warned ‼️⚠️the products are vulnerable to "thermal runaway" – when battery cells burst, overheat and let off toxic and flammable gases.

 

In early 2024 state fire departments said lithium-ion batteries had caused more than 1,000 fires in the past year. The waste and recycling industry says the products are causing more than 10,000 fires a year in waste management trucks and facilities.

 

Victorian fire authorities have said they are responding to almost one lithium-ion battery fire every day. (ABC News)

 

Fire authorities issued their warning on Monday morning ahead of the Christmas period, ‼️⚠️urging people to buy products from reputable manufacturers and to always buy compatible batteries and chargers rather than using generic replacements.

 

"Make sure you're looking for products that have the ‼️⚠️regulatory compliance mark on them so you know they meet Australian safety standards," Mr Owen said.

 

"And ‼️⚠️stay away from cheap products from overseas that you don't know the origin of."

 

Safety authorities say Australians should check battery products for this Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM). (Supplied: Electrical Equipment Safety System)

 

 

Firies say charging risks can be minimised

 

Fire services said there were some basic things lithium-ion battery owners could do to reduce the risk of fires.

 

These include:

• Keeping an eye on devices when they are being charged and turning devices off when no-one is home
• Checking products for damage, swelling, frayed cords, smoke and that no moisture has seeped into the battery
• Unplugging devices once they reach 100 per cent charge
• Charging the device in an area with a smoke detector
• Using the charging cord provided on purchase of the device and getting it replaced by the manufacturer if it is broken
• Ensuring the charging device is compatible for the battery

 

Energy Safe Victoria has also issued adviceon how to charge lithium-ion batteries safely.

 

A Carlton apartment was badly damaged by fire after a mobile phone power bank exploded last year. (ABC News)

 

Fire Rescue Victoria deputy commissioner Joshua Fisher encouraged people to charge devices away from main living areas if possible.

 

"Seriously consider not charging the device in your home if you can," he said.

 

"So if you have a garage or you can charge it outside … away from flammable materials such as bed sheets, couches, carpets – anything that may be flammable, move it outside."

 

Explosion of lithium-ion battery fires

 

The waste and recycling industry says it's fighting up to 12,000 fires a year caused by discarded lithium-ion batteries.

 

He also encouraged the installation of smoke alarms throughout households and in garages to give early indications of a fire.

 

"We want people to be safe this Christmas. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's recommendations for charging and for use," he said.

 

"If you see any of those factors where the battery may be starting to fail, through the swelling, smells, the noises that you may hear, immediately stop using it. 

"If it's safe to do so, take it outside to a safe area and call Triple Zero."❞

That’s another issue with this stuff: how to dispose of it. Plastic possibly/probably containing toxins into recycling bin??? Into hard rubbish to contaminate the land? Oh, for a hungry toxin-and-plastic- munching monster…!

https://apple.news/AJLDyi0WPTk-fQhzh4nDdMQ

I think I know which supermarket is being referred to.

There’s no doubt in my mind that governments too often do what is convenient at the time rather than what is right.

Re fast fashion - I hope that we can turn this trend around. Quality items made from organic fabrics that have no toxic treatment either in the textile production stage or the post-production stage should be a priority and we need to lean into garments that last.

The hoodies are fluffy, warm, and super cheap. Very cute when shaped with bear or bunny ears, or in this case, a unicorn horn.  However, wearing one is akin to covering yourself in napalm. 

https://amp.9news.com.au/article/e6d8d4c5-a535-470a-81c5-7725bb032326

❝Temu beach tent recalled over safety fears

A recall has been issued for a children's pop-up mini beach tent which is sold on Temu.

The product, which is made by Yiqisheng Outdoor and features a small built-in pool, has been recalled as it does not comply with the mandatory standard for portable swimming pools.

"The products do not have the required warning signs," Product Safety Australia said in the recall notice.

"Risk of serious injury or death from drowning if consumers are not aware of these hazards."❞

These have the identifying numbers SKU10835 and SKU10834.

Horrific.

Mind you,  saying that it was non-compliant just because it failed to include a fire warning label is a cop out in my opinion. 

Far too many children's clothes carry those labels & in my opinion, a lot of kid's clothes should just not be allowed to be made with those materials, full stop.

It does say some materials are outright banned, but not enough.

https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104787390 (for the above).

It’s horrific. 

 

 

 

When Daniella Jacobs-Herd turned eight, a long fluffy glow-in-the-dark unicorn hoodie was the perfect birthday present from her grandmother.

 

Daniella was still wearing her favourite Temu-purchased jumper at her mother Hannah's birthday party six months later, in July 2024.

"I'd been trying to get it off her because she was getting a bit big for it, but she wore it religiously because she loved it," Ms Jacobs-Herd said.

 

"It was above her knees when the incident happened."

 

 

Daniella was airlifted to Queensland Children's Hospital from Hervey Bay.

On a chilly evening in the family's backyard in Hervey Bay, three-and-a-half hours north of Brisbane, a gust of wind blew sparks onto Daniella's jumper as she stood near a fire pit.

It ignited "in a split second".

 

Medical staff at Brisbane's Queensland Children's Hospital told Ms Jacobs-Herd her daughter had severe burns to 13 per cent of her body, including her face, right arm and the right side of her chest.

 

The incident laid bare the risks of using one of Australia's most popular online shopping platforms, and what consumer advocates say is the reactive nature of current laws to protect Australian consumers' safety.

 

Failing to meet standards

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found the jumper was non-compliant with the mandatory standards governing the safety of children's nightwear because it failed to include a fire warning label.

 

In Australia, all children's nightwear and some daywear must undergo fabric testing and display the appropriate fire label. 

Some garments are so flammable they don't meet any of the four fire hazard rating categories, and therefore cannot be sold.

Little girl facing 10 years of treatment due to a Temu supplied jumper trying to incinerate her

$80 buy at Temu and Shein?

❝On the surface, it is possible to assemble a reasonable outfit from ultra fast fashion sites. But look to the seams and you’ll find a mess of raw edges, loose threads and wonky lines❞

Anyone who believes Temu and Shein offer value for money should read this.

I have posted previously about eBay’s letting sellers include mention of warranty - especially with Chinese sellers. It’s a no-brainer that any such “warranty” is misleading … mere words that pass wind in the buyer’s general direction. eBay (in my opinion) won’t act to prevent this unless the benefits of its current activity as things stand in China become less profitable and with less long term benefit than punitive legal action taken against it in respect of this behaviour by a powerful legal entity.

It would probably take a tragedy with a provable case.

As for the counterfeits, I have given up hope that eBay Australia can or will do anything about them on a more than individual case (and even then, ha).

Back to a news item that illustrates one of my greatest concerns … that is, that Chinese exporters / sellers will lie to your face about safety standards, certification, quality and genuineness.

❝Safety Certification Concerns

Dispatches Reporter Ellie Flynn also found that the online marketplace, which has been advertising its bargain basement items to UK customers with a widespread advertising campaign, sells equipment that is advertised as carrying the approval of safety certification organisations who questioned the validity or authenticity of those claims.

Electrical product tester and certifier, VDE, told the programme that two pliers carrying its name had not been certified by the institute.

Flynn discovered the tools on Temu’s platform advertised with photos of safety certificates seemingly issued by VDE, whose mark is trusted by electricians internationally. However, the institute’s Hendrick Schäfer said that the photos had been altered to superimpose the name of the Temu merchant onto the document of a genuine certificate holder.

He said: “This certificate was a copy. It was illegal…they faked the original certificate and just overwrote the name on the certificate with their own names. This will have definitely consequences for this manufacturer.

“If the certification is not correct…the insulation of these handheld tools is maybe not properly done and the result could be an electric shock and in the worst case, electric shock could lead to death.”

In response to the certification of the pliers, Temu told Dispatches: “We do not allow forgeries and will take action against any sellers involved if such cases are found.

The programme also found that medical products were listed on Temu as “FDA certified” and “FDA approved,” in reference to the US federal medical regulator. However, the FDA does not issue certificates and told the programme that it had not approved any of the products Flynn drew their attention to. 

On Temu, she also found carabiners, used by rock climbers, tree surgeons and construction workers, carrying the safety mark of the “UIAA” (the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation). However, a safety standards representative for the federation closely examined the products and could not find a manufacturer’s mark on them, making it impossible to determine their provenance. Nick Galpin said that in order for safety equipment to be granted permission to use the organisation’s safety label, it must contain a manufacturer’s mark, clearly and indelibly on the products.

He added: “The UIAA would not have their mark, ever, on a carabiner or certified product that did not hold the manufacturer's mark.”❞

– https://www.channel4.com/press/news/truth-about-temu-dispatches-thursday-30-may-8pm-channel-4

Forgot to add, there's also some seller's misrepresentation of item location so buyers who are wary of purchasing from China may end up doing so anyway.

Hi Countess,

I have been appalled lately by the proliferation of listings for counterfeit items.  Ebay pays lip service to addressing the problem through the authentication program but that only covers luxury designer labels and sneakers.

These products are lower value.  Obviously they violate copyright and deceive consumers but you also have to wonder about safety standards.  For example, two of the items which come up again and again are Wednesday Addams Monster High dolls and Taylor Swift merchandise including advent calendars.  These items have small parts which represent choking hazards, particularly if manufacturing standards and materials are inferior.  Also, in the past cheaper toys were found to contain lead-based paints. 

It is extremely disappointing to see negative feedback accumulating while ebay continues to endorse the sellers.   One example of a seller described as "One of eBay's most reputable sellers" and "Consistently delivers outstanding customer service" has a feedback rating of 95.7% with 333 Negative and 345 Neutral feedback in the past 12 months.

These are the types of products grandparents are likely to purchase as Christmas gifts, "Oh, my granddaughter loves Taylor Swift".

Let the buyer beware is all well and good if you know what to look for but how is an inexperienced buyer supposed to know items are fake and potentially unsafe, particularly when many sellers use images of the genuine branded items?

Ebay is capable of developing the most sophisticated innovative systems so why can't they find a way to weed out dodgy items with a history of negative feedback?

Bad davewil, bad bad bad.

 
Ichabod is meowing “Forgive him; he has not felt my paw on his hand”.

But back to business… 

Battery-operated items from Temu tested by Choice fail Australian safety standards

Choice tested the low-cost toys for compliance with battery safety laws after observing some products on the platform appeared “concerning”, [Andy Kelly, Choice’s deputy director of campaigns] said.

“The price point does make you wonder whether the products are actually compliant with the mandatory standards that we have,” he said. “When we did the test, it basically confirmed that all of them had failed at least one requirement of the button battery regulation.”

I recently read two articles on automated kitty litter boxes purchased on Aliexpress where the poor cats head got caught in the mechanism and unfortunately died.

Toxic chemicals in items bought on Shein, Temu, etc.

Shoes, caps, nail polish - all containing carcinogens at dangerous levels - in spite of the spiel from representatives of Shein and Temu and AliExpress stating products are strictly tested to ensure they meet product safety standards. Ha.

Buy at your own risk.