Exploding pressure cookers that caused serious burns to six people’s eyes, faces and upper bodies, have resulted in consumer group Choice pushing for a new product recall system.
All six people injured by the since-recalled Crofton Chef’s Collection pressure cooker, bought exclusively at Aldi stores, received second or third-degree burns, with one woman standing one metre away from the cooker when it exploded.
Four of the injuries happened after the recall started in August, while fewer than a quarter of the 8405 pressure cookers have since been returned.
The details of the injuries and the recall rates were uncovered after Choice obtained private incident reports under Freedom of Information laws.
It has prompted the consumer group to push for more transparency from businesses recalling products.
“It’s staggering that businesses don’t currently have to release this information,” Head of Campaigns Sarah Agar said in a statement on Wednesday.
“When a product is so faulty that it puts people at risk, the public deserve to know how many products are affected, how many have been returned or repaired, and how quickly and effectively the business is running the recall.”
The responsibility is currently on consumers to remain aware of product recalls.
