Cars top product recall listings for 2015–16

It will come as no surprise to readers of Field Service Business that cars have officially become the most recalled product type in Australia. Barely a week goes by when we don't report on a vehicle recall of some kind.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released the figures for the 2015–16 financial year, which show that 182 of the 670 total recalls were car-related. The total figure is on the rise, up from 596 in the 2014–15 financial year.

This rise has been trending for a while, according to ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard.

"Recalls have been trending up every year for the last five years. More and more, we are seeing suppliers seeking to keep costs down, sourcing from overseas countries without having direct oversight of every step of the supply chain," Rickard said. 

She also believes that increasing consumer awareness regarding rights and responsibilities has also contributed to the trend. 

The ACCC recently launched the Product Safety Australia website, which provides information for consumers on products that are managed by compulsory safety standards and furnishes details on agencies that govern areas outside of the ACCC's remit.