Fair Trading inspectors deem showbag items as ‘unsafe’ amid safety checks

After checking through more than 180 showbags, Fair Trading safety officers have deemed eight products as “unsafe” to be sold at the show.

Families have been warned to look out for dangerous toys in Ekka showbags this year as safety inspections have identified and removed a number of “unsafe” items prior to the show.

Fair Trading inspectors searched through more than 180 bags to ensure the safety and compliance of products with the relevant requirements.

Of the search, eight items were identified as “unsafe” and needed to be removed from bags prior to the show including makeup products and toys.

There were four types of cosmetic items deemed “unsafe” by inspectors including lip glosses and contour balms that didn’t have the correct ingredient labelling.

Mum Louise Christensen with her kids Max, 10 and Ruby, 9 at the Ekka. Picture: Nigel Hallett

According to Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman, cosmetic products should always list ingredients on the container or on the product itself and should be available to consumers at the point of sale.

“They (inspectors) also identified products containing replaceable button batteries which didn’t comply with button battery mandatory safety standards,” she said.

“These issues have all been rectified by suppliers prior to the show.”

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The battery issues were raised for an army combat rifle toy that contained button batteries in a non-secure compartment, and three plush toys including a dog, cat and doll that also had non-secure compartments.

“Showbags are an iconic part of going to the Ekka for so many families across the south east,” Ms Fentiman said.

“And we want to make sure that kids are kept safe from dangerous items such as toys with insecure button battery compartments.”

While inspectors will continue to conduct checks throughout the Ekka, Ms Fentiman urged families to still think carefully about which toys they buy for their children.

“It’s important parents and carers remain vigilant regarding the age appropriateness of showbags and prizes, keeping in mind that younger siblings may have access to items,” she said.

“Consumers need to be on the lookout for potential safety hazards such as items with sharp points and edges, and small parts that can become detached from products which can cause serious harm to children.”

Any safety issues found in consumer products can be reported to the Office of Fair Trading.