Concerns about the safety of car seats sold by PD Mart (formerly known as Panda Mart) have led the Commerce Commission to issue a ‘Stop Now’ letter to the company.

The commission is investigating potentially misleading labels that may have falsely claimed that the products complied with car seat safety standards.

“The commission has zero tolerance for risks to children’s safety,” said Vanessa Horne, the commission’s competition, fair trading, and credit GM.

“Product safety is one of our enduring priorities under the Fair Trading Act, meaning we will prioritise product safety issues that have the potential to cause serious harm to people, particularly children.”

The commission found issues with the company’s claims of compliance with recognised safety standards on the labels of the car seats, which are believed to be false or misleading.

“We consider this likely to be a breach of the Fair Trading Act, and consumers may have been misled into believing the products were compliant with safety standards, when that is likely not the case,” said Horne.

Some car seats lacked clear or complete installation instructions, a critical omission that could jeopardise the safety of the child.

“PD Mart has publicly stated its aim is to offer products at prices up to 30 per cent lower than major competitors,” said Horne.

“We are particularly concerned that these lower-cost products sold with potential safety concerns may disproportionately affect families with limited financial means, who will be relying on the car seats to keep their children safe.”

The issuing of the ‘Stop Now’ letter has led to PD Mart recalling all of its car seats that the commission identified with concerns and offering refunds to affected customers.