Recommendation 2

The OPSS has struggled to reach some businesses and consumers to prevent harm being caused by unsafe products. Businesses are responsible for ensuring that the products they make and sell are safe. The OPSS and local regulators therefore rely on influencing businesses to ensure they comply with the rules. Despite issuing guidance and advice, the OPSS has found that 24% of businesses remain unaware of their product safety responsibilities. The OPSS struggles to reach smaller firms, such as home sellers, and to influence or support them to follow the relevant product safety regulations. The OPSS also aims to communicate directly and indirectly with consumers and make them aware of product safety risks, for example to encourage them to avoid buying unsafe goods, respond to recalls or use products correctly. However, only 17% of surveyed consumers consider product safety when making purchases. People from lower socio-economic groups may be at greater risk from unsafe products if they are more likely to purchase cheap or fake goods. The OPSS does not know which consumer groups are most at risk from unsafe products or how to reach these groups to make them aware of the potential dangers. Recommendation: The OPSS should develop a detailed plan for proactively communicating with and influencing industry and consumers. This should set out how different industry and consumer groups, including vulnerable and hard to reach demographics, will be targeted using different approaches.