Product recall as Brighton-based toy company cops $2k fine

TROELS SOMMERVILLE
APRIL 22, 2014
MOORABBIN GLEN EIRA LEADER
A TOY company has been fined and ordered to recall faulty stock after it was found to have sold unsafe products.
After an investigation, Consumer Affairs Victoria has forced Brighton-based Red Hot Spot Pty Ltd to recall toy cars that were considered a choking hazard, as well as incorrectly labelled sunglasses.
The company, which has a factory in Bentleigh, will have to pay $2000 and consent to having the stock destroyed.
Refunds will also be offered to anyone who returned the mislabelled sunglasses or the “learning fun puzzle cars”, which were found to have “small parts that could break off and choke a child”.
The cars were sold between January 2011 and August 27, 2013, when Consumer Affairs inspectors seized the stock from the company’s Bentleigh and Braybrook premises.
Tests also showed the sunglasses did not have the required labels, markings or information identifying the supplier, lens category number and description.
Red Hot Spot director ­Jiabin Zhang acknowledged his company had breached Australian Consumer Law by selling the merchandise and agreed to abide by terms given by Consumer Affairs.
As well as recalling the toys and paying the fine, Red Hot Spot will have to prominently display public product safety warnings at its premises and on its website.
An individual breaking Australian consumer law can be fined up to $220,000 while a body corporate can be fined a maximum of $1.1 million.