Local opportunity stores do not have to throw out thousands of items following misleading information about a second hand item crackdown by the Office of Fair Trading said Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett.
The Office of Fair Trading has been under fire since Moreton Bay tip shops cleared shelves of numerous items despite only 12 products being tagged as unsafe.
“There are rumours going around that our local op shops must now throw out all items that aren’t new or aren’t near new,” Mr Bennett said.
“This is not true, the stores must simply abide by safety standards.
“These 12 items that were flagged in Moreton Bay related to babies & children.
“Any product used by this group, such as prams, cots, car capsules & seats, must meet or exceed safety standards.
“It is not about ‘new’ or ‘as new’, it’s about keeping families, children and babies safe by avoiding potential injuries or worse from defective products.”
Bundaberg Salvation Army Captain Chris Millard said he’s disappointed about the rumours.
“Everything that comes through our stores, no matter if it’s a t-shirt or an electric beater, is checked and tagged where appropriate,” he said.
“For things like prams and cots, there are very strict safety measures in place.
“If the item does not meet these safety standards, as outlined by the Office of Fair Trading, it does not go on the shelf.
“There are no new rules, there is no second-hand crack down, there is however a continued effort to keep the community safe.
“We just want to let everyone know, our stores remain open with plenty of items both second hand and new for sale.”
26.10.18