Retailers who sell to consumers in Ireland are responsible for ensuring that the electrical products they sell comply with the relevant product safety regulations and standards.
Retailers who import or sell certain electrical products in Ireland are legally required to comply with the requirements of the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment Regulations 20161. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the market surveillance authority in Ireland for the safety of non-food consumer products, including these Regulations.
Businesses must ensure that their electrical products have a CE Mark, are accompanied by the required documents and instructions and that there are manufacturer and importer markings on the product.
On 29 August, the CCPC undertook unannounced inspections of 9 locations in Galway, where teams of Authorised Officers inspected electrical products and removed several sample products for assessment. The purpose of the CCPC’s inspections was to monitor compliance with and to raise awareness of product safety law. The CCPC is currently analysing the products removed during the inspections.
Speaking about this inspection activity, Patrick Kenny, Member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said, “Our aim is to work with businesses to ensure that goods placed on the Irish market do not pose a risk to consumers and comply with essential EU rules and standards. If you sell electrical products you have a legal obligation to comply with these rules and you have a duty of care to your customers.
If we find that a trader has failed to fulfil their duties, we will not hesitate in taking appropriate action, including issuing a notice to withdraw, recall or seizure under a forfeiture notice. Traders can find more information about safety regulations and standards on our website ccpc.ie.”
The CCPC has developed a checklist to help retailers understand their obligations under the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment Regulations 2016. These checklists were circulated as part of the inspections in Galway.
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