ACCC fines Cotton On over late Supre and Typo injury reports

Cotton On Australia has paid $19,800 in penalties after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleged the retailer missed the two-day deadline to report serious injuries linked to two of its products. The ACCC announced the penalties on 12 November 2026.

The ACCC issued two infringement notices. One relates to a pair of Supre-branded jeans and the other to a Typo-branded Christmas snow globe. Supre and Typo are both Cotton On subsidiaries.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, a supplier must notify the ACCC within two days of becoming aware that a death, serious injury, or illness may have been caused by the use or foreseeable misuse of its product.

What the ACCC alleges

The regulator alleges Cotton On did not lodge the mandatory reports within the required time after it learned of the injuries.

ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward said: “Cotton On’s alleged reporting failures delayed important product-safety information reaching us.” The ACCC has not identified any safety concerns with either product.

Woodward said the failure to report serious safety incidents quickly “is serious” because delays can delay urgent safety action, including recalls, and put other consumers at risk.

“Mandatory reporting helps the ACCC identify potentially unsafe products quickly,” Woodward said. He added that suppliers need systems to identify reportable incidents and notify the regulator within the two-day timeframe.

Cotton On’s response

According to the ACCC, Cotton On carried out a risk assessment and additional safety testing on both products. Those checks found the injuries were not caused by a defect or safety issue.

The ACCC said Cotton On cooperated with the investigation and has strengthened its reporting processes. For the next three years, the company will regularly audit consumer complaints that record an injury or illness to check it is meeting its mandatory reporting obligations.

Paying a penalty under an infringement notice is not an admission that a business has contravened the Australian Consumer Law.

Cotton On’s compliance record

Cotton On is a wholly owned subsidiary of COGI Pty Ltd. Its retail brands include Cotton On, Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Rubi, Supre, Typo, and Ceres Life.

In December 2012, the Federal Court ordered Cotton On Kids to pay $1 million in penalties because its children’s nightwear did not meet mandatory fire safety labelling requirements.

Recent ACCC action on mandatory reporting

The ACCC published updated mandatory reporting guidance in July 2026. In October 2026, it started proceedings against Kmart Australia over product safety concerns, including alleged non-compliance with mandatory reporting obligations.

The ACCC says it supports ongoing reforms to close gaps in Australia’s product safety framework.