The Consumer Rights Bill has just concluded its Report Stage in the House of Lords. Electrical Safety First director general Phil Buckle commented: “The Consumer Rights Bill is the most radical shake-up of consumer legislation to take place in three decades. We were disappointed that our proposed amendment – which ‘closed the gap’ between faults that manufacturers and suppliers of electrical goods know about and what consumers are aware of – has not been incorporated into the Bill. However, we are delighted that our concerns have been noted and that a review of the product recall system will now take place.”
The amendment proposed by Electrical Safety First was designed to increased transparency, by requiring manufacturers, retailers and distributors, to provide specific details, such as the number of people affected by a recalled item (either through injury or damage to property). It also called for detailed information regarding a recalled item to be displayed, on both the website of the relevant government department and enforcement agencies.
Phil added: “As Electrical Safety First’s research has clearly shown, our complex and self-regulated product recall system has left many unsafe products in people’s homes. So we wholeheartedly support the government’s proposed review of the system, which has just been announced by Baroness Neville-Rolfe. And we are pleased that the issues regarding product recall during the passage of the Consumer Rights Bill will now be addressed.”
