NZ: Stopping product recalls from becoming a car crash
The Register: Food recalls are handled by the Ministry of Primary Industries, those for medicines and medical devices are regulated by Medsafe, and motor vehicle recalls are listed by the NZ Transport Agency. Most recalls aren’t as dramatic as a car crash, but the idea behind them is to remove the product from consumers before it causes harm. Some of the recalls covered by The Register include a series of teddy bears given to children in hospitals which posed a choking hazard, and trousers sold through Cotton On and The Iconic which could contain a cancer-causing dye. Packaged chicken meals by Kaweka and Weight Watchers were today recalled because they contain bone fragments, and a batch of Perail de Brebis cheese is at risk of containing Listeria and Salmonella bacteria.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs says the responsibility for ensuring that products supplied to consumers are safe falls upon retailers, and it is up to them to keep track of recalls and similar matters. Failing to ensure the safety of goods or following legal requirements can result in prosecution and fines.