Australian Baby Products | Australia publishes mandatory safety and information standards for baby sleep products

On 18 July 2024, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, ACCC) issued mandatory safety and information standards for sleep products for infants and young children:

(1) Standard 2024 for the Safety of Consumer Products (Infant Sleep Products) (Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep) Safety Standard 2024)

(2) Consumer Goods (Infant Products) Information Standard 2024(Consumer Goods (Infant Products) Information Standard 2024)

sleep products for infants and young children come into effect

July 18, 2024, new safety and information standards are published, and suppliers of baby sleep products have 18 months to meet their new obligations. For domestic cribs and folding cribs, suppliers can continue to comply with the existing mandatory standards for these products during the transition period. From January 19, 2026, suppliers of baby sleep products must comply with the new standard.

Infant Sleep Products-Scope of Application

Consumer Products (Infant and Child Products)

(Consumer Goods (Infant Sleep Products) Safety Standard 2024)

is applicable to all infant sleep products, as well as infant products having an inclined surface on which an infant can lie down, even if they are not designed or marketed for infant sleep.

Consumer Products (Infant Sleep Products)

(Consumer Goods (Infant Products) Information Standard 2024)

(1) Suitable for infant sleep products. These products are designed and sold for the purpose of infant sleep, mainly including the following products: portable folding crib (portable folding cots), inclined sleep products (inclined sleepers), cradle Bed (bassinet), baby cradle (cradle), collaborative sleep products (co-sleepers), household crib (household cots)

(2) If the tilt product is designed and sold for the purpose of infant sleep, it is also regarded as an infant sleep product, mainly including bounce chair (bouncers), hammock (hammocks), reclining chair (recliners), rocking chair (rockers), swing (swings)

Note: The mandatory safety and information standards for infant sleep products do not apply to the following products:

(1) Accessories attached to infant sleep products or tilt non-sleep products or accessories used with them

(2) Medical devices under the Therapeutic Articles Act 1989

(3) second-hand goods other than second-hand goods imported into Australia

(4) Goods designed to put babies on caregivers or parents, such as carriers, wraps or slings

(5) Goods subject to other safety or information standards (such as car seats and strollers)