The Wiggles in trouble for selling unsafe headbands

Children’s entertainment group The Wiggles has admitted it likely breached Australian Consumer Law after selling children’s headbands without mandatory safety warnings about button batteries.

The yellow and black Emma Bow headband, featuring four lights powered by button batteries, was sold between June 2022 and March 2024 without the required safety information informing consumers of the risks associated with button batteries.

The Wiggles admitted it likely failed to comply with the Button Battery Information Standard and has committed to implementing a consumer law compliance program, in a court-enforceable undertaking provided to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

CA Australia, the product’s importer and distributor, has also given the ACCC a written commitment to improve its consumer law compliance practices.

The product was available at The Wiggles’ live concert for children’s use, and sold by other suppliers through the group’s online store and various physical stores.

“Without a warning on the product, parents may not have known it contained button batteries and not understood the severity of the risk,” said ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe.

“If swallowed, a button battery can become stuck in a child’s throat and result in catastrophic injuries, and even death, in as little as two hours.”

The Wiggles will produce an episode of its podcast, Wiggle Talk – A Podcast for Parents, regarding the recall and will discuss button battery safety in children’s products, as part of its cooperation with the ACCC.

The Emma Bow headband was recalled last August, with details published on the ACCC’s Product Safety website.

Consumers have been advised to stop using the product and return it as directed in the recall notice.

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