Federal regulators ruled Tuesday that Amazon must notify customers about and remove products it considers unsafe for sale on its website.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission unanimously decided Said As the “seller,” Amazon bears ultimate legal responsibility for the recalled products, even if the affected products were originally sold by a third-party seller through the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program.
“Amazon’s failure to inform the public about these dangerous products and its failure to take appropriate steps to encourage customers to return or discard them put consumers at risk of serious injury,” the commission said.
The order covers more than 400,000 products sold on Amazon.com, including faulty carbon monoxide alarms and children’s pajamas and hair dryers that could catch fire, but Amazon has already removed many of them and notified customers.
“We are disappointed with the CPSC’s decision,” an Amazon spokesperson told NBC News, adding that the company would appeal the commission’s decision.
“When we were first notified three years ago by the CPSC about potential safety issues with a small number of third-party products at the center of this lawsuit, we promptly notified customers, instructed them to stop using the products and provided refunds,” the spokesperson said.
The CPSC said Amazon must now develop and submit proposals for how it will notify customers and the public about future product hazards and provide refunds or replacements for the products.
An Amazon spokesman said the company “takes proactive measures to prevent unsafe products,” adding that the company continually monitors items on its store.
“If we become aware of any unsafe products being sold, we will immediately address the issue and improve our processes.”
The agency Sued In July 2021, Amazon was forced to recall hundreds of thousands of dangerous items that were sold on its platform through its FBA program. This represents approximately 60% of all sales on the company’s platform.
In response, Amazon said it had removed the “vast majority” of those products from its stores and provided refunds to customers, while arguing that it is not a distributor and only provides logistics services to independent sellers.
The CPSC disagreed.
“Amazon is [Consumer Product Safety Act] “Just because logistics are part of its extensive services, Amazon must comply with the CPSA to protect consumers from harm,” the ruling states.
Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration announced last week that it had issued a warning letter to Amazon for distributing a powerful chemical peel in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
