Aldo bows to ACCC order

NATIONAL: Accessory and footwear retailer Aldo has vowed it will implement a trade practices law compliance program after the consumer watchdog found it had sold unsafe sunglasses to consumers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced it has accepted a court enforceable undertaking from the brand's Australian distributors Busby Distribution.

The company had also undertaken it would obtain compliance certificates from suppliers or conduct independent testing to ensure sunglasses met mandatory safety standards.

A retail blitz by the ACCC late last year found Aldo had breached the Trade Practices Act by failing to label its sunglasses correctly. The investigation found certain styles did not state the lens category number and corresponding description. Nine sunglass models also failed to provide warnings they should not be worn while driving.

Aldo later issued a voluntary product recall in May after it discovered 21 models had also failed performance requirements, posing a risk to consumers while driving. The sunglasses could result in wearers failing to recognise traffic light colours, vehicle signalling and tail lights and emergency vehicle signals.

ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel warned similar investigations would continue in the lead up to summer.