The Bank of Russia unexpectedly maintained its key interest rate at a record-high 21% , defying analysts’ expectations of another significant hike as inflation remains stubbornly elevated. The decision marks a shift toward a more measured approach in balancing economic growth and price stability. Key Details Inflation Concerns: Annual inflation climbed to 8.9% in November, well above the central bank’s 4% target , with inflation expectations reaching 13.9% in December. Policy Rationale: The central bank cited the significant tightening of monetary conditions after October’s 200-basis point hike as sufficient to resume disinflationary processes. Governor Elvira Nabiullina emphasized avoiding both economic overheating and severe slowdowns. Economic Overheating: Elevated government spending on the war in Ukraine and social programs, coupled with labor shortages and rising wages, have fueled strong domestic demand, exacerbating price pressures...
Amazon.com is responsible for hazardous products sold by third-party sellers on its platform under federal safety law and bears legal responsibility for their recall, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Tuesday.
The CPSC issued an order requiring Amazon to propose plans to notify consumers about these products and to remove them from consumers' homes by encouraging returns or destruction. Amazon has not yet responded to Reuters' request for comment.
More than 400,000 products are affected by this order, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors, hairdryers lacking electrocution protection, and children's sleepwear that violates flammability standards.
The CPSC determined that Amazon is a "distributor" of these defective products, listed on its website, despite being sold by third-party sellers under the 'Fulfilled by Amazon' programme.
"Amazon failed to notify the public about these hazardous products and did not take adequate steps to encourage its customers to return or destroy them, thereby leaving consumers at substantial risk of injury," the CPSC stated.
In July 2021, the CPSC sued Amazon to force the recall of hundreds of thousands of hazardous products sold on its platform. Amazon had claimed to have removed the majority of those products and provided full refunds to customers at that time.
The CPSC also mentioned that Amazon argued before an administrative law judge that it was not acting as a distributor of the products within the meaning of the Consumer Product Safety Act and thus bore no responsibility for them.
The 'Fulfilled by Amazon' programme allows third-party sellers to list products on Amazon, which are then stored, packed, and dispatched by Amazon upon order.
Late last year, the CPSC warned consumers to stop using toy magnets from Chinese seller Doraemon, sold on Amazon.com, after seven deaths from ingestion.
Key Takeaways:
- Responsibility: Amazon is held responsible for hazardous products sold by third-party sellers on its platform under federal safety law.
- CPSC Order: The CPSC has ordered Amazon to propose plans for notifying consumers and removing the hazardous products from homes.
- Affected Products: Over 400,000 products, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors, unsafe hairdryers, and non-compliant children's sleepwear, are affected.
- Legal Dispute: Amazon argued it was not a distributor under the Consumer Product Safety Act, but the CPSC disagrees.
- Fulfilled by Amazon: The programme involves third-party products stored, packed, and dispatched by Amazon.
The decision reinforces the CPSC's commitment to holding e-commerce platforms accountable for the safety of products sold on their sites.
Comments
Post a Comment