ACCC is cracking down on dodgy products on marketplaces

If you sell products online, here’s your wake-up call. The ACCC is coming for dodgy goods, and their 2025–26 safety priorities put the digital marketplace front and centre.

ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb took to the stage at the National Consumer Congress last week with a clear message: unsafe products, especially those lurking in online marketplaces, are a growing threat to Aussie consumers – and businesses need to lift their game.

“We’re going after systemic and high-risk safety issues in the digital economy,” she said. “That includes cracking down on non-compliant or downright dangerous products sold online – the kind that cause physical harm, economic loss or just destroy trust in online shopping altogether.”

What does the crackdown on unsafe products means

If you’re a small business owner selling products online, whether via your own website, a marketplace like eBay, Amazon or even through social media, you need to be across product safety laws.

The ACCC says it will be using a mix of regulation, compliance checks, consumer education and enforcement tools to tackle unsafe goods sold online. That could mean more scrutiny of listings, stricter accountability for sellers, and tougher penalties for those who don’t play by the rules.

And with online shopping becoming the go-to for many Aussies, the pressure’s on to make sure what you’re selling is up to scratch.

The big safety priorities for 2025–26

Alongside its crackdown on unsafe products in online marketplaces, the ACCC has flagged four other key areas it’s keeping a close eye on. First up is product safety for young children. This has been a long-standing concern for the ACCC. This includes hazards like button batteries, unstable furniture and unsafe infant sleep gear. These may seem like everyday items, but they can have deadly consequences if safety standards aren’t met.

The ACCC is also turning its attention to lithium-ion batteries – the kind that power everything from smartphones to e-bikes. With more households and businesses using rechargeable tech and solar systems, the risk of battery-related fires, overheating and explosions is growing, and the regulator wants to get ahead of it.

From July 2025, mandatory product safety standards will also undergo a series of expedited reviews. The goal? To modernise the rules and give businesses more flexibility by allowing compliance with recognised international standards – saving time, money and headaches.

Finally, the ACCC is investing in better product safety data. That means improved incident reporting, stronger partnerships with other regulators, and new research to better understand what’s putting Aussie consumers at risk – so action can be taken before harm is done.

Don’t ignore the fine print

Catriona Lowe, the ACCC’s Deputy Chair, reminded businesses that some of these dangers, like button batteries or unstable furniture, can seem like small things, but they cause serious injuries (and deaths) every year.

“We want to make sure these standards aren’t just sitting on paper – they’re understood, implemented and enforced,” she said.

If you’re a product-based biz, this is your nudge to double check the standards that apply to what you’re selling. You can find them on Product Safety Australia – and trust us, it’s better than finding out the hard way.

What’s changing for online sellers?

The ACCC’s looking to expand the Product Safety Pledge, which currently only covers select marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. The idea? To get more platforms, and by extension, more sellers, committed to faster removal of unsafe goods, better data sharing, and stronger product checks.

If you’re selling via one of these platforms, you can expect tighter controls coming soon. If you’re running your own eComm store, now’s a great time to audit your product listings, check your supplier chain, and make sure you’re not accidentally flogging anything that’s unsafe or non-compliant.

Why the safety standards matter

This isn’t just a regulatory box-ticking exercise. It’s about trust.

“Addressing these harms is essential to maintaining trust in digital markets and ensuring those markets are competitive and safe,” says Cass Gottlieb.

And that’s good news for small business. If consumers feel confident shopping online, they’re more likely to click ‘buy now’, especially with smaller, independent brands they haven’t tried before.

Whether you’re selling tech, toys, furniture, or anything in between, safety matters. And  the ACCC is making sure it’s front and centre.

If you’re unsure about your obligations, now’s the time to do a quick compliance health check, get across any mandatory standards, and talk to your suppliers. Because when it comes to product safety, what you don’t know can hurt you and your customers.

This post first appeared on Business Builders. You can read it here

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