PD Mart faces court action over alleged sale of non-compliant goods
Thursday 8 October 2026 · 4 outlets · 4 reports · updated In this story Commerce Commission
The Commerce Commission is taking PD Mart to court for allegedly selling 57 different non-compliant products. The items, which include toys, baby walkers and car seats, were offered at the retailer's Auckland and Christchurch stores.
Key facts
5 facts
- PD Mart, formerly Panda Mart, operates stores in Pakuranga, Auckland, and Belfast, Christchurch.
- The retailer allegedly offered 57 different non-compliant products.
- Seven types of children's car seats were allegedly misrepresented as meeting international safety standards.
- The commission alleges PD Mart misrepresented consumer rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
- PD Mart gave court-enforceable undertakings in 2026 to withdraw certain products.
The full story
1 min read · 4 outlets
The Commerce Commission is taking budget retailer PD Mart to court over allegations that it repeatedly sold non-compliant products. The commission alleges the retailer offered 57 different non-compliant products, including toys and baby walkers, across its Auckland and Christchurch stores. It also alleges that seven types of children's car seats were falsely represented as meeting an international safety standard.
The commission's concerns followed repeated store visits starting in October 2024. During the investigation, PD Mart recalled and removed potentially unsafe items such as bikes, baby rattles, and baby walkers. In September 2025, the commission issued a Stop Now letter regarding car seat safety, which led to a recall of seven models affecting 176 units.
The commission further alleges that PD Mart misrepresented customers' rights to return products under the Consumer Guarantees Act. It also claims the retailer lacked adequate systems, policies, and staff training to meet its legal obligations. In 2026, PD Mart provided court-enforceable undertakings to withdraw certain products and agreed not to sell products in categories where concerns were identified for at least six months.
Commerce Commission general manager competition and fair trading Rebecca McAtamney said, “Regardless of what something costs or what shop you buy it from, businesses must comply with the New Zealand product safety requirements that apply to the goods they sell”. McAtamney added that the scale and recurring nature of the issues were a serious concern.
How it developed
- Thu 8 Oct, 2:56pmPD Mart operates two 6000sqm outlets and offers 50,000 products online as a 'budget Chinese shopping mall'.
Where reports differ
- One report notes that the September 2025 Stop Now letter prompted a recall of 176 car seat units across seven models.
Compiled from reports by Stuff, The Press, RNZ and 1News.