- More than 20 items have been removed from sale after Fair Trading compliance operations found they did not meet Australia's strict product safety laws.
- Inspectors assessed more than 5,000 toy lines in more than 100 stores across Queensland along with items from almost 80 online sellers.
- Products containing button batteries are of particular concern with one child a month being seriously injured in Australia.
Queenslanders have been urged to prioritise safety this festive season with the Office of Fair Trading revealing it has removed 21 products from sale following recent compliance checks.
Most of these products breached the mandatory standards for button batteries, including 17 products that were identified through checks of 79 Australian-based online sellers and related activities.
The products included flashing wands, light up cups, juggling balls, fairy lights, sensory toys, kitchen timers and pocket magnifiers, which did not have secure button battery compartments and/or the other required warnings.
Other items including magnetic bucky balls and a fidget pen gift set, were removed from sale online for having small high-powered magnets, which are banned in Australia.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said it was a timely reminder for Queenslanders to be on the lookout for unsafe products, especially when shopping online.
"Queenslanders are buying more and more online, including from overseas sellers, and unfortunately those products don't always comply with mandatory standards, bans, and recalls," Ms Frecklington said.
"While the Office of Fair Trading is cracking down, it's also important for shoppers to know what to look out for, so they don't end up putting those items under the tree.
"I want every Queensland family to enjoy a safe Christmas and one of the easiest things you can do is shop through reputable retailers, who prioritise safety," she said.
Following the recent online checks and related activities, the Office of Fair Trading has issued over $54,000 in fines and finalised six enforceable undertakings, with other investigations ongoing.
Enforceable undertakings require retailers to stop selling the unsafe products and make a formal commitment to product safety under the Office of Fair Trading's Australian Product Safety Standards Compliance Program.
Two additional unsafe products were identified through the Office of Fair Trading's annual Operation Safe Christmas, with inspectors assessing 5,070 toy lines in 118 stores across the length and breadth of Queensland.
These products were a light-up toy that did not contain mandatory button battery warning labels and a projectile toy that contained small parts that were choking hazards.
"If you're shopping for young children this Christmas, remember to keep the six S's of toy safety in mind," the Attorney-General said.
"These are size, surface, shape, strings, secure batteries and supervision."
The Attorney-General said the Office of Fair Trading would continue to enforce safety requirements for products sold to Queenslanders well after the festive season ended.
"Safety doesn't stop after Santa has delivered the toys and the Office of Fair Trading will keep working with its interstate and federal counterparts to prioritise product safety."
Any concerns about unsafe products should be reported to OFT online at www.qld.gov.au/fairtrading
