ACCC announces compliance and enforcement priorities for 2026-2027
Of particular interest to the furniture industry is:
- Consumer and fair trading concerns in relation to environmental claims and sustainability, with a focus on greenwashing; and
- Consumer product safety issues for young children, with a focus on compliance with infant sleep and toppling furniture mandatory standards.
The full ACCC media release can be found here.
AFRDI is well equipped to undertake testing in these important areas. Contact us if you wish to discuss.
Furniture suppliers fail mandatory toppling furniture safety rules in ACCC sweep
A sweep of businesses has revealed most furniture suppliers are failing to comply with new mandatory information rules that warn customers of the dangers of furniture tipping over.
The ACCC and state and territory consumer protection agencies examined over 3,000 furniture products at more than 160 businesses. 90% of those businesses were found non-compliant with the mandatory toppling furniture information standard in relation to one or more of their products, and more than half were non-compliant in relation to all products examined. See the full media release here.
For testing and certification of storage furniture please contact us.
ACCC releases product safety priorities for 2025-2026
The full ACCC media release on unsafe products in online marketplaces can be found here.
Included in these priorities is focus on toppling furniture and infant sleep standards.
Toppling Furniture Mandatory Information Standard Supplier Guidance
The ACCC has published supplier guidance regarding the Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) Information Standard 2024. The supplier guidance is available here on the ACCC Product Safety website.
From 4 May 2025, suppliers who manufacture, import, supply or sell furniture must comply with the mandatory information standard. The guidance aims to assist suppliers to understand their obligations and comply with the mandatory standard.
Toppling furniture safety
Following a recommendation made by the ACCC, on 3 May 2024 the Assistant Treasurer made the Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) Information Standard 2024 (the Information Standard). To give suppliers time to comply, this Information Standard will come into effect after a 12-month transitional period. When the transition period ends on 4 May 2025, suppliers must meet the requirements of the Information Standard.
Read more information on the Standard here.
New laws to increase awareness of the dangers of toppling furniture
Furniture suppliers will be required to provide safety warnings to consumers about the dangers of toppling furniture hazards, after the Assistant Treasurer, the Hon. Stephen Jones, made a new information standard for toppling furniture.
Contact us direct if you wish to test or discuss your furniture certification requirements.
ACCC releases eight principles to guide businesses’ environmental claims
The ACCC has published eight principles to help businesses ensure any environmental marketing and advertising claims they make about their products or services are clear and accurate, and do not mislead consumers.
The guidance on environmental claims can be found here.
Contact us direct if you would like to discuss our AFRDI Green Tick sustainability standard for your furniture products.
ACCC publishes draft guidance to improve businesses’ environmental claims
The ACCC recently published draft guidance to improve the integrity of environmental and sustainability claims made by businesses and protect consumers from ‘greenwashing’.
Details on how to make a submission (due by 15 September 2023) are included on page 4 of the Draft.
Young children a top focus for new ACCC product safety priorities
Young children a top focus for ACCC 2023-24 product safety priorities said ACCC Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe, addressing the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne.
Read the ACCC’s June 2023 media release here.
One of our specialties is testing and certification of children’s furniture. Contact us direct to discuss your requirements.
ACCC publishes new product safety recall guidelines
The ACCC has published updated guidelines to assist suppliers when they need to recall a product for safety reasons.
The guidelines also inform suppliers of their Australian Consumer Law obligations and the ACCC’s role in assessing, monitoring and escalating recalls.
Access the guidelines here.
ACCC unearths concerning claims about sustainability practices
This report outlines the findings of the ACCC’s 2022 internet sweep of environmental claims.
ACCC Deputy Chair, Delia Rickard, at the Sydney Morning Herald Sustainability Summit in September 2022, told businesses to be prepared to back up their environmental claims. The original ACCC media release and Ms Rickard’s full speech can be found here.
Toppling furniture is one of the ACCC 2022-23 product safety priorities
The ACCC will finalise strategies to improve the safety of toppling furniture by:
- Consulting stakeholders;
- Determining whether regulatory action should be recommended to the minister; and
- Increasing education and awareness.
Other priorities covering lithium-ion batteries, infant inclined products and button batteries are included in the ACCC 2022-23 Product Safety Priorities publication.
ACCC Bunk Beds: complying with the mandatory standard
The ACCC is responsible for the administration of mandatory consumer product safety and information standards created under the Trade Practices Act 1974. These include the Consumer Product Safety Standard for Bunk Beds, on which the ACCC is currently conducting a review.
Visit the ACCC Website for more information, including a copy of the Consumer Product Safety Standard for Bunk Beds.
ACCC Product Safety
Visit the ACCC Website for information on cots, including a Product Safety Bulletin detailing household cots with wooden drop sides, a national attack on dodgy cots and action taken against online suppliers of unsafe household cots.
Visit the Product Safety Australia Website for further information on cots, including a cots & cords don’t mix alert.
Safety standards for cots, prams, strollers and bunk beds under review
The ACCC is alerting suppliers of children’s products to potential changes to three product safety standards (mandatory standards) for cots, prams and strollers and bunk beds. Further information can be found here on their Website.