Unsafe products in online marketplaces will face a tougher crackdown as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) makes it a key priority during the 2025-26 period.

The regulator will focus on issues such as misleading or deceptive advertising within influencer marketing, online reviews, in-app purchases and unsafe consumer products.

The main initiatives include encouraging more efforts from online marketplaces, strengthening commitments under the Australian Product Safety Pledge, using data and intelligence, and increasing collaboration with local and international regulators.

“Reducing the prevalence of high-risk unsafe consumer products online will be key,” said ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.

“We will focus on systemic and high-risk product safety issues for consumers. And we will use a combination of regulation, education for consumers and for businesses, compliance and enforcement tools, where appropriate,” she added.

This is among the five key priorities in addressing unsafe products that were announced during the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne earlier this week.

The other four priorities are consumer and product safety issues impacting young children, lithium-ion battery safety, updating mandatory standards and improving product safety data to identify safety risks.

“These priorities are designed to respond to known harms, and to anticipate the emerging risks that could shape the future of consumer safety,” Cass-Gottlieb remarked.

“They reflect our commitment to protect Australian consumers and build and maintain their trust in markets in an era of change and uncertainty,” she continued.