To help prevent consumers from getting injured by using unsafe products, there are safety standards in place for some products you may sell.
What are product safety regulations and standards?
Product safety standards regulations set safety standards that suppliers of goods must comply with. The regulations set out what type of goods are covered, what standard/s or parts of standard/s apply to New Zealand and any variations to those standard/s. Failure to comply with product safety standards set by regulations breaches the Fair Trading Act and is illegal.
You are responsible for ensuring the goods you sell meet their product safety standard.
There are a number of product safety standards that are set by regulation under the Fair Trading Act. The standards help prevent and reduce the chance of accidents and injuries while consumers are using these products.
The requirements in each product safety standard are different depending on the type of product.
As baby walkers allow children who cannot walk to move around faster and further and in different ways than they are able to on their own, children may get hurt when using one.
Children may be injured if their nightwear accidentally catches on fire. To help prevent injuries, all new and used clothing suitable for children to wear as nightwear must be made of fabric less likely to burn or to have a fire hazard information label.
Clothing made from fabrics that are too highly flammable must not be supplied.
Children under the age of 36 months are less able to cough up anything they swallow and may choke if they inhale a part of a toy (including a battery) when they are playing with it.
Cigarette lighters that are unsafe, do not work properly or are used incorrectly, particularly by children, may cause accidental fires and injuries.
To reduce the risk of accidental fires, cigarette lighters must meet certain performance, design and labelling standards. Lighters must be designed to ensure most children would not be able to operate them.
Babies and young children may be injured in an unsafe cot.
To help reduce the risk of injury to babies and young children, household cots must meet certain design and construction requirements, pass impact, strength and durability tests and have warning labels attached.
The failure of multipurpose ladders, such as collapsing when in use, can cause serious injury.
For safety, any multipurpose ladder that is sold in New Zealand must meet the requirements of the safety standard to ensure it has been tested to assess its stability, has labels that are easy to read, have warnings applied regarding misuse and electrical hazards.
Cyclists may be injured by riding an unsafe bicycle. To help prevent injuries, new bicycles must meet design and performance requirements and also have warning labels attached.
A new mandatory safety standard for sunscreen came in force on 8 September 2022, which has placed new obligations on businesses that manufacture and/or supply sunscreen products.
The Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs may declare goods unsafe where it appears they may cause injury. You need to ensure you do not supply any product that has been banned by an unsafe goods notice. Anyone who supplies a banned product may be fined.
A number of products are subject to an unsafe goods notice:
small high-powered magnets
chainsaws without a chain brake
lead in children’s toys
hot water bottles that do not meet the standard
candles with lead in the wicks and candlewicks containing lead
pistol crossbows
inclined infant sleep products.
For more information about unsafe goods notices and any updates please check the Consumer Protection website.
