An International Organization for Standardization subcommittee has called for the development of a standard that would identify, assess, eliminate or reduce the risks associated with consumer products in the supply chain. According to the Consumer Policy Committee (COPOLCO), rapid changes in product design, construction and materials available worldwide make the standard necessary to keep consumers safe.

In developed countries, existing regulations and standards often specify only a minimum set of requirements to address known hazards associated with consumer products. In addition, some developing and transitional countries have few—if any—standards. A standard that provides guidance to suppliers on how to identify potential safety problems and how to address them will protect consumers, COPOLCO points out.

The committee is also calling for the development of a standard related to consumer recall programs. Currently, inconsistent recall programs that change from country to country make the process harder than it should be, say COPOLCO members.

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