The New Zealand Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Andrew Bayly, has issued a mandatory recall notice to Serene Industries Ltd. The company is required to recall all Serene S2068 Bathroom Heaters that have been imported, sold, or installed since June 16, 2018.
This action follows voluntary recalls by other suppliers of these heaters. The recalls were initiated after a WorkSafe investigation found safety concerns with the heaters, including the risk of overheating.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has contacted all known suppliers of these heaters. All of them have started a voluntary recall of the S2068 heater, except for Serene Industries Ltd. The company has not issued a voluntary recall and is no longer operating in New Zealand.
A mandatory recall order is issued when a company sells unsafe goods and does not start a voluntary recall. This order is meant to ensure that everyone who has bought or sold one of these heaters is aware of the recall.
In March, a select series of S2068 Bathroom Heaters were recalled. The recall has since been expanded to include all S2068 Bathroom Heaters imported, sold, or installed since June 16, 2018.
Further voluntary recalls were also issued for some S2069 and S207T models, which WorkSafe banned from sale in April.
MBIE Business Specialist Ian Caplin explained that suppliers and retailers in New Zealand have a responsibility to provide safe products to consumers. If a product is found to be faulty, they must provide a solution.
As of May 10, 2024, 19 New Zealand suppliers (excluding Serene Industries) have been identified as having sold S2068 heaters since June 16, 2018. However, there may be more suppliers yet to be identified.
All 19 suppliers have issued a voluntary product recall for a total of approximately 35,000 S2068 units.
Consumers who have an S2068 heater are advised to stop using it, unplug it, and contact the company they bought it from. They should first contact the business they purchased the S2068 model from to arrange a return of the goods under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) and for a safe replacement or a refund.
For the S2069 and S207T heaters, Energy Safety has banned the sale, not the use. However, New Zealanders can still contact the retailer that sold them the heater to discuss options under the CGA.
Further information on the voluntary recall and information on the suppliers can be found on the Product Safety website.
