Samsung must explain dangerous products, says CHOICE

Samsung needs to publicly explain how 2.5 million potentially dangerous Galaxy Note 7 smartphones were allowed on the global market, according to consumer group CHOICE.

The call comes after Samsung ceased production of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 when the company repeatedly failed to release safe products.

“It defies belief that Samsung put potentially dangerous smartphones on the market, not once, but twice, in the space of a few weeks,” said CHOICE Head of Media Tom Godfrey.

“Samsung has repeatedly put lives at risk around the world with its shoddy products and it’s now time for the once great tech giant to come clean and help restore trust in its brand.”

CHOICE believes that consumers need to know why the smartphone’s serious safety failures were not picked up during testing and how the company will ensure a similar incident does not occur again.

“We are calling on Samsung to make its testing processes public and subject to independent scrutiny. It’s really hard to see how it can regain consumer trust without taking these basic steps,” said Godfrey.

International consumer groups are also calling on Samsung to put in place the highest standard of consistent redress, compensation and recall management in all markets.

“It’s not good enough for Samsung to cherrypick which country they notify about their smartphone’s safety issues. For example, we’re concerned that they announced the problem in Mexico but not Brazil or Argentina,” said Godfrey.

“In Nigeria and South Africa Samsung didn’t release any consumer warnings on their website. This is a global safety issue. It needs a consistent global response.”

CHOICE, in conjunction with peak body Consumers International, is calling on Samsung to explain how and why this happened, subjecting its testing processes to independent scrutiny; provide consumers with fair and consistent redress and compensation globally; guarantee it will not simply repair the problematic handsets and market them to developing countries, where there may be fewer protections for consumers; and provide safety information on the Galaxy Note 7 in all markets, regardless of where the phone has been sold.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Kantver