The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published updated Product Safety Mandatory Reporting Guidelines, dated July 2026. The guidelines set out when businesses supplying consumer goods or product-related services in Australia must notify the ACCC of a death, or a serious injury or illness, linked to their products.
The 3-Criteria Test for Mandatory Reporting
A business must submit a mandatory report to the ACCC only if all three of the following criteria are met:
- Criteria 1 – Supply: The business supplied a consumer good or product-related service (this includes manufacturers, retailers, distributors, importers, exporters, and businesses providing installation, repair, cleaning or maintenance services).
- Criteria 2 – Awareness: The business becomes aware of a death, or a serious injury or illness, from any source — direct notification (e.g. a customer email or call, a coroner, a repairer) or indirect means (e.g. media, social media, online reviews).
- Criteria 3 – Causation: The business (or another party, such as the affected consumer) considers that the death, serious injury or illness was, or may have been, caused by the use or foreseeable misuse of the consumer good.
An incident meeting all three criteria is a “reportable incident.”
Key Reporting Requirements
- Reporting deadline: Mandatory reports must be submitted within 2 days of becoming aware of a reportable incident, via the ACCC’s mandatory reporting webform.
- No verification required: Businesses only need to report the information known to them at the time — there is no obligation to verify or substantiate the information first.
- Applies to overseas suppliers too: Any business supplying consumer goods to consumers in Australia must comply, regardless of where the business or the incident is based.
- “Serious” injury or illness means the injury or illness is acute (sudden and severe, not a pre-existing or gradually developing condition) and requires medical or surgical treatment by a medical practitioner or nurse (treatment is not required to have actually occurred — only that it would ordinarily be required).
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failing to submit a mandatory report within the 2-day window can result in:
- A criminal penalty of up to $16,650 for a body corporate or $3,330 for an individual, even if the failure was unintentional.
- Civil penalties of up to $16,500 for a body corporate or $3,300 for an individual.
Voluntary Reporting Is Encouraged
The ACCC encourages businesses to submit a voluntary report where:
- There is insufficient information to determine whether the mandatory reporting criteria are met.
- A “near miss” has occurred — an incident that did not result in a death, or serious injury or illness, but could have under slightly different circumstances.
- The business is an online marketplace that becomes aware of an incident involving a product supplied by a third-party seller (marketplaces are not legally required to report but are encouraged to do so).
What This Means for Industry
Businesses supplying consumer goods or product-related services into the Australian market should review their internal incident-handling processes to ensure they can identify reportable incidents and meet the 2-day reporting deadline. The ACCC recommends:
- Delegating a responsible person for mandatory and voluntary reporting.
- Routinely educating employees, contractors and representatives on reporting obligations.
- Establishing clear internal procedures for escalating incident information quickly.
To read the official notification, access below.
How C-PRAV Can Support You
C-PRAV assists manufacturers, importers and suppliers in understanding and meeting their Australian regulatory obligations, including product safety compliance, testing, and certification pathways for the Australian and New Zealand markets. Our team can help you assess product risk, review compliance documentation, and navigate reporting and regulatory requirements with confidence.
Have questions? We’re here to help.