The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reports that a nation wide blitz on hot water bottles has resulted in more than 250,000 being recalled across Australia.

"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and state and territory consumer regulators have randomly checked 30 brands - and on preliminary tests more than half have failed mandatory safety standards," ACCC deputy chairman, Peter Kell, said.

"We tested 30 brands of hot water bottles and 18 did not comply with the standard - which requires acceptable bottle thickness and stringent quality levels relating to leakage, seam strength and pressure," he said.

The blitz followed the rise in severe burns resulting from hot water bottles splitting, leaking or bursting.

Mr Kell hopes that the blitz will reduce the number of such severe burns cases in the future.

10 September, 2009