National Retail Association welcomes the new mandatory safety standard for all toys marketed to children under three to adhere to strict design and testing requirements relating to batteries and small parts.
Sadly, around 2,500 children under three seek hospital care due to injuries from unsuitable toys every year in Australia. Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Jones stated that one child admitted to emergency because of unsafe toys, is one too many.
The standard aims to minimise choking and suffocation risks for small children from loose parts and button batteries that can cause significant injury and death if ingested.
This covers toys for children up to and including 36 months of age, such as:
- rattles, toy dummies, teethers, and squeeze toys
- toys for attaching to cots, playpens, prams and strollers
- push and pull toys
- pounding toys
- blocks and stacking toys
- bath toys
- rocking, spring and stick horses and figures
- musical chime toys
- jack-in-the box
- stuffed, plush and flocked animals and figures
- dolls
- toys with pompoms
- games and puzzles
- toy cars, trucks and other vehicles.
National Retail commends the Albanese Government for allowing businesses to comply with the standards by adhering to either the latest Australian voluntary standard (last updated 5 September 2023) or listed overseas standards. Businesses will save millions of dollars a year with reduced compliance costs and red tape while better protecting consumers and giving parents the confidence that the toys they purchase for their children are safe and suitable.
Business will have 18 months to adopt the new standard.
Consumer products affecting young children’s safety and infant sleep products are among the ACCC’s product safety priorities for 2023-24.
The latest information on product recalls and the product safety standards at the Product Safety Australia website.