Cotton On Pays $19,800 Over Late Injury Reports

The ACCC issued two infringement notices after Cotton On allegedly failed to report two customer injuries within the required timeframe.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Fashion

Cotton On Pays $19,800 Over Late Injury Reports

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Cotton On Australia has paid penalties totalling $19,800 after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued two infringement notices. The regulator alleges the retailer did not report two customer injuries to it within the two-day window required under Australian Consumer Law.

Why it matters

Serious safety incidents must be reported quickly so regulators can act, including through recalls if needed. The ACCC alleges a delay in reporting can hold back urgent safety action, even where a product is not found to be unsafe.

The penalties total $19,800 across two separate infringement notices, relating to a Supre-branded pair of jeans and a Typo-branded Christmas snow globe. Neither product was found to be unsafe, and the risk assessment confirmed the injuries did not arise from a defect.

The players

Cotton On Australia

Cotton On Australia is the local arm of the Australian-founded fashion retailer Cotton On Group, which operates clothing brands including Supre and Typo.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is the national regulator responsible for enforcing Australian Consumer Law, including product safety reporting obligations.

The details

Cotton On Australia was allegedly informed of two customer injuries, one linked to a Supre jeans product and one to a Typo snow globe, but did not report them to the regulator within two days. Following the injuries, the company undertook a risk assessment of both products, which confirmed no defect or safety issue.

Two days: the reporting deadline for serious injuries under Australian Consumer Law.
12 November 2026: the ACCC announced the penalties paid by Cotton On.
Three years: the period over which Cotton On has committed to audit consumer complaints involving injury or illness.

Legal Context

The case applies the two-day mandatory reporting requirement for serious injuries under Australian Consumer Law, a rule that exists so the ACCC can assess risk and trigger recalls quickly. Enforcement through infringement notices, rather than court action, shows how the regulator handles reporting breaches where no product defect is found.

Shoppers who bought Supre jeans or Typo products are not affected by a defect finding, since neither product was found to be unsafe. The case is a reminder that retailers are required to report customer injuries to the regulator within two days.

The takeaway

Retailers must report serious customer injuries within two days, even when a product is later cleared of any defect. Shoppers can expect closer scrutiny of how injury complaints are handled as Cotton On's audit commitments take effect.