Fashion retailer Cotton On Australia has paid $19,800 in penalties for failing to comply with mandatory product safety reporting requirements.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the company failed to submit mandatory reports within the required period after it became aware of serious injuries relating to products supplied by its subsidiaries, Supre and Typo. 

The Australian Consumer Law requires suppliers to submit a report within two days of acknowledging any death or serious injury that their products may have caused. 

Cotton On conducted a risk assessment and additional safety testing of both products, which confirmed the reported injuries did not arise from a defect or safety issue. 

“While the ACCC has not identified any safety concerns about the products, Cotton On’s alleged reporting failures delayed important product-safety information reaching us,” said ACCC commissioner Luke Woodward.

“The failure to report serious safety incidents quickly is serious because it may delay urgent safety action, including recalls, and could put other consumers at risk of injury or death.”

The company has cooperated with the ACCC to strengthen its mandatory reporting compliance processes. It has also committed to conducting regular audits of consumer complaints for three years.

Aside from Supre and Typo, Cotton On’s portfolio includes Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Rubi and Ceres Life. 

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