Retailers Warned Over Cigarette Lighters
157 retailers warned they risk breaching lighter standard, distributors and manufacturers being investigated
The
Commerce Commission has warned 157 retailers that they risk
breaching the product safety standard for cigarette lighters
and is investigating some distributors and manufacturers of
cigarette lighters.
Commission Fair Trading Manager Rachel Leamy said that the Minister of Consumer Affairs introduced the safety standard earlier this year following a spate of fires started by children playing with cigarette lighters. The standard requires lighters to be child resistant.
Ms Leamy said that the retailers have been warned that the standard states that each batch of lighters must have a certificate stating that the batch complies with the standard. Those sent warning letters either had no certificates or certificates for only some batches.
The warnings have gone to a wide range of dairies, gift shops, service stations, magazine shops and tobacconists in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Distributors and manufacturers, who provide the certificates to retailers, are being investigated because some of the certificates do not have the information the standard requires.
“The lack
of information might be the result of administrative
oversight, or it might be because lighters have not been
tested and may not be child resistant,” Ms Leamy said. “We
are investigating to answer that question.”
After the
investigation the Commission will decide what, if any,
further action it will take. It can issue a warning, accept
a settlement including signed undertakings of how behaviour
would change, or take court action. Courts can impose fines
of up to $100,000.
Ms Leamy said that the investigation is likely to take several weeks.
Background
Retailers selling or giving away cigarette lighters must do two things. Each batch of cigarette lighters must have a certificate and each lighter must be correctly labelled.
Staff from the Commission or New Zealand Customs can ask
for certificates to be provided within 10 days. The
certificates must state:
that the batch of
cigarette lighters is child resistant;
the name
and address of the supplier;
the year and month
of manufacture; and
the manufacturer’s name and
street address.
Each lighter must be correctly labelled
(this can be in code, e.g. like a bar code) with:
the year and month of manufacture; and
the manufacturer’s name.
The Commission has produced a free fact sheet for shops. Manufacturers, importers and distributors must meet additional requirements. The Commission strongly recommends that they read its free booklet, Safety Standards for Cigarette Lighters.
ENDS