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The recall of a Hong Kong-made Bindeez product this week has prompted calls for a mandatory liability insurance on all imported goods.
Thousands of stores across New Zealand, Australia and North America removed the small beads from their shelves after scientists discovered they contained a chemical that, if swallowed, transformed into the illegal party drug, fantasy.
The New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association says the insurance would ensure all imported goods complied with New Zealand safety standards and would provide local companies with a level playing field when competing with cheaper, and possibly lower quality imports.
MEA chief executive John Walley said yesterday the competition between New Zealand-made products and cheaper imported goods often meant consumer safety was taken for granted. "Under current conditions, importers side-step compliance costs and have a comparative advantage over local companies."
He said there had been discussions on possible measures the Government could take to address the issue of compliance and safety, but that this week's product safety scare showed further action was needed.
The call has won the support of Green Party regional development spokesperson Sue Bradford.
"We expect, and regulate for, consumer safety here in New Zealand, but we simply don't have the capacity to place the same kind of safety and quality standards on the masses of imports that come across our border," she said.
- NZPA
