Amazon sued by CPSC for refusing to recall hazardous products

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC) issued a statement on July 14 that it has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, the world's largest retailer, requiring Amazon to assume corresponding legal responsibility for the potentially dangerous goods sold on its platform.

The lawsuit alleges that some of the products sold on Amazon have safety hazards that could cause personal injury to consumers. The products mentioned in the lawsuit include 24,000 carbon monoxide detectors with obvious defects, many children's pajamas that violate flammable fabric safety standards, and nearly 400,000 hair dryers that have been sold without protective devices.

The CPSC voted 3-1 to approve the complaint, which seeks to force Amazon to stop selling these products, work with CPSC staff to recall these products, and provide consumers with full refunds.

The CPSC's action follows months of negotiations with Amazon, which has refused to acknowledge the CPSC's authority to comply with rules to remove dangerous products from its shelves, according to a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is private.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said that after receiving the notice, Amazon has removed some products from the shelves, notified consumers of the problems with the products, and provided consumers with refund services, but what Amazon has done is still not enough.

Robert Adler, acting chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, said that the lawsuit against Amazon was a huge step forward for the commission and that the CPSC should continue to regulate these third-party platforms to better protect the rights and interests of American consumers who rely on them.

"Consumer safety is our top priority, and when we become aware of product safety issues, we take proactive action to protect consumer safety," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement responding to the CPSC. "We have removed the products in question and fully refunded customers. It is unclear why the CPSC filed a lawsuit to try to force us to take repetitive measures we have already taken."

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