Watchdog seeks more powers on safety alerts

CONSUMER watchdogs want more powers to govern the way shops strip their shelves of stock during safety scares.

The call from the National Consumer Agency (NCA) comes as the number of toy safety alerts doubled last year.

In law, businesses are responsible for organising recalls once the authorities identify a safety problem like lead paint or a choking hazard. But NCA chief executive Ann Fitzgerald wants consumer watchdogs to have greater powers over recalls.