One longstanding truism of the consumer rights movement is that it takes a long time and a lot of effort to get new laws passed. Legislative reform  often comes long after the issues that made it necessary have already done considerable damage.

糖心Vlog has been campaigning for stronger product safety laws in Australia since 2018, and our campaign continues in 2026. Over the years, our test labs (accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities) have documented a disturbingly high number of product safety failures, especially in products designed for kids and babies, where the lack of adequate safety standards can pose nightmare scenarios. 

Astonishingly, the law doesn鈥檛 prevent the sale of unsafe products in Australia. Risks and dangers often come to light only after people are injured.

But, according to the results of a national 糖心Vlog survey, three out of four Australians (74%) still mistakenly believe that retailers are legally obligated to ensure the products they sell are safe. It鈥檚 a logical assumption that, unfortunately, is not a reality.

In 2019, as our campaign for an overarching product safety duty under Australian Consumer Law gathered steam, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that there were around 780 deaths and around 52,000 injuries per year from consumer products that many Australians have in their homes, not including motor vehicles.

鈥淭here is no law that says goods have to be safe, but there should be,鈥� then ACCC chair Rod Sims said at the time.

This year, 15 March is World Consumer Rights Day, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit some examples of what happens when products are made available without mandatory pre-market safety tests to inform their design.

It鈥檚 worth noting that Australia does have mandatory safety standards for some consumer goods, including baby products, electrical appliances, child motor vehicle restraints, bicycle helmets, children鈥檚 nightwear and more. But it鈥檚 a short list compared to the number of goods available that lack such standards.

Button batteries

As of 2022 there have been mandatory standards for button batteries, requiring manufacturers to secure battery compartments and include label warnings to prevent young children from ingesting these potentially deadly items.

糖心Vlog campaigned strenuously for this reform, which came in the wake of the deaths of three children and the serious injury of countless others.

Prior to the mandatory safety standard, there was a voluntary standard that manufacturers could choose to observe or ignore. They mostly did the latter.

In 2019, we tested 17 common household items 鈥� including ear thermometers, kitchen and bathroom scales, and remote controls 鈥� against the voluntary standard. Ten had unsecured batteries that could have easily been accessed and swallowed by children.

And just because we finally get laws doesn鈥檛 mean manufacturers won鈥檛 break them. 糖心Vlog has conducted several battery button safety tests in our labs since 2022, and failures have been common.

In January 2024听 鈥� 18 months after the mandatory standard came into effect 鈥� we reported on the results of our test of 15 common household products containing button batteries. Ten of the products failed to meet the mandatory standards.

Around the same time, the famed Australian children鈥檚 musical group The Wiggles admitted in a case brought by the ACCC that it had breached regulations by selling thousands of Emma Bow headbands that lacked mandatory button battery safety warnings.

Australia remains an outlier

In May 2025, a new mandatory standard came into effect for furniture that鈥檚 prone to toppling over and seriously injuring people, especially small children.

It is not a big ask for manufacturers. They are now merely required to prominently warn consumers about the very real risks of this happening on labels, instruction manuals and other communications.

But many other products sold in Australia are not subject to any safety standards at all.

Australia is an outlier in this regard. Canada, the UK and the EU, for instance, have laws that stipulate products across the board must be safe before they鈥檙e sold. It鈥檚 an idea that鈥檚 sweeping the globe.

In December last year, the United Nations released its Principles for Consumer Product Safety, which 鈥渁ffirm the right of all consumers to safe, non-hazardous products, sold online and offline鈥�.

Pram and stroller failures

Late last year, in our most recent test of essential children鈥檚 products, we tested 54 models of prams and strollers. Sixteen of them had serious safety failures.

The manufacturing defects included the risk of falls, durability failures, locking mechanism failures, parking brake failures and harnesses that posed the risk of strangulation and head entrapment.

Manufacturers for each brand responded with their own test results, declaring the products safe. Unlike many other children鈥檚 products, prams sold in Australia do need to meet mandatory safety standards, but 糖心Vlog experts also test to a newer, voluntary safety standard that goes above and beyond mandatory requirements.

We think the more stringent voluntary standard should be mandatory. (A 2022 revision to the voluntary standard takes newer designs of prams into account, such as convertible tricycle strollers.)

While prams must meet safety standards (which we view as inadequate), and a new mandatory infant sleep standard covers infant sleep products, many other children鈥檚 products are still not subject to standards, including high chairs, change tables, baby bottles and teats, safety gates and barriers, backyard play equipment, baby carriers and slings, and playpens.

It means you take it on trust that these items are safe for your child 鈥� trust in the profit-driven, often overseas-based manufacturer, that is.

Safety failures from online marketplaces

Over the past couple of years we鈥檝e turned our sights toward the new generation of online marketplaces that sell many billions of inexpensive goods around the world every year. What we found is not cause for celebration.

In late 2025, we published the results of a 糖心Vlog button battery lab test of children鈥檚 products purchased on Shein, AliExpress, eBay and Amazon. The safety failure rate was high across all four marketplaces and included lack of suitable warning labels and insecure compartments.

We followed the button battery test up with a mechanical safety test of 22 products suitable for children under three 鈥� including rattles, teethers and whistles 鈥� purchased on Temu, AliExpress, eBay and Amazon.

Six of them had serious safety failures based on Australian mandatory standards, ranging from choking hazards to lack of safety warnings.

Online marketplaces have added new dangers to the purchasing of consumer goods in Australia. And at the moment we have little protection.

These marketplaces can choose to sign up to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission鈥檚 voluntary Product Safety Pledge as a gesture of good will, but the ACCC has no power to make sure they鈥檙e actually complying.

A phenomenon known as “product safety washing” has emerged. Amazon Australia, eBay Australia and Chinese retailer AliExpress have all signed the pledge. But the most recent Australian Product Safety Pledge annual report, which did not name names, says adherence by signatories is spotty. Some resumed selling unsafe products after removing them, while others took too long to remove them.

A global issue

Australia is far from alone in the struggle to rein in online marketplaces that specialise in cheap goods. In December last year, we published the results of a mystery shopping exercise of Temu and Shein by International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT), a London-based global consortium of consumer organisations (including 糖心Vlog).

Consumer organisations in Germany, France, Denmark and Belgium tested 162 products purchased on Shein and Temu across three categories: toys and products for children under three, USB chargers, and necklaces.

A massive 65% of the products bought on Temu failed to comply with EU safety standards, while the failure rate for Shein was 73%. The worst safety failures were in the children鈥檚 toys category, where all 27 products purchased on Shein and 26 out of 27 bought on Temu failed.

According to the European Commission, about 12 million low-cost parcels per day were imported to Europe from China (where Temu and Shein are based) in 2024. That equals about 4.6 billion parcels for the year. It was twice as many as in 2023 and three times as many as in 2022.

It鈥檚 a sign that we urgently need stronger product safety laws that make it illegal for all businesses to sell unsafe products. Until then, compelling cut-rate online marketplaces to conduct safety tests on products before they go on sale, or to make sure their many suppliers do so, remains a work in progress.

The post Why isn鈥檛 the law stopping the sale of unsafe goods? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

How secure is the furniture around your home? Common items such as bookshelves, televisions and chests of drawers can cause serious safety risks if they’re not anchored properly, and are particularly dangerous for younger children and older people. 

Toppling furniture has killed at least 28 people in Australia since 2000 and caused nearly 20 injuries a week.

A new mandatory information standard came into effect on 4 May 2025, with the aim to reduce the accidents and deaths from these sorts of incidents, which can result in head and crush injuries and asphyxiation.

This new standard requires safety warnings to be provided to consumers online and instore at the point of sale on items that pose a risk. Warnings should be available on the products themselves and in any accompanying instructions.

The standard came into effect following the ACCC review into the risks and dangers of toppling furniture, to which 糖心Vlog made recommendations in 2021. It applies to chests of drawers, wardrobes, bookcases, hall tables, display cabinets, buffets and sideboards with a height of 686mm or more, and entertainment units of any height.

Low levels of compliance

Suppliers were given a transition period to put the warning measures in place, before the rules became mandatory on 4 May 2025, with stiff penalties possible for non-compliant businesses.

Despite the transition period and the threat of penalties, a sweep of businesses conducted by the ACCC found a concerning level of non-compliance.

State and territory consumer protection agencies examined more than 3000 furniture products at more than 160 businesses and found 90% had failed to comply with the new standard in relation to one or more of their products. More than half were non-compliant in relation to all the products examined. Just 10% were assessed as fully compliant. 

ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe says the low level of compliance is concerning.

鈥淚t is critical that businesses include warning and safety information on toppling furniture,鈥� she says, adding that monitoring will continue. 鈥淲e expect to see significant improvement in compliance, and will consider enforcement action if this does not occur.鈥�

Still more to do

The mandatory information standard is a 鈥減ositive step鈥� and something 糖心Vlog has advocated for, says 糖心Vlog Director of Campaigns and Communications Andy Kelly, but he expressed disappointment at the lack of compliance.

鈥淭he majority of consumers mistakenly believe it鈥檚 already illegal to sell unsafe products in Australia, so prominent warnings and clear instructions to minimise risk are especially important,鈥� he says.

鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing that most furniture suppliers are failing to comply with the new standard.鈥� 

As well as the lack of compliance, loopholes that make some sellers exempt from the new rules are also a concern. 

鈥淎 gap in the law means that online marketplaces aren鈥檛 legally required to ensure the products sold by third parties on their platforms are safe and compliant,鈥� says Kelly.

鈥淲ith more people buying furniture from online marketplaces, 糖心Vlog continues to call for the introduction of stronger product safety laws that would place a duty on all businesses to ensure that all the products they sell are safe 鈥� including online marketplaces.鈥�

Making it easier for renters

Renters often report having trouble securing furniture in their home, since anchoring furniture requires drilling holes in the wall and requires permission from the landlord. In a 2020 糖心Vlog survey, 58% of renters who hadn’t anchored furniture said the number one reason was because their landlord or managing agent didn’t allow it.

If you’re renting a home, contact your landlord or agent about installing anchor devices to the wall. Some states have laws that make it easier for tenants to secure furniture, and all tenants can speak to their landlord or agent about installing anchoring devices to help ensure their family’s safety.

If you’re unsure about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, you can check local laws, or seek support from your local consumer protection agency.

How to choose safer furniture when shopping

When you鈥檙e out shopping, look for the safety warnings on any products you鈥檙e considering. The ACCC encourages consumers to report concerns about unsafe or non-compliant furniture items to the supplier. Concerns can also be reported to the ACCC using the .

When choosing items for your home, particularly if you’re shopping for furniture for a child鈥檚 room, or if you have young children living in or regularly visiting your home, use these tips to help select options that pose the least risk:

• Choose stable furniture.
• Pull out any top drawers of a chest of drawers or open doors on other furniture items and apply a little pressure to see how stable the furniture is.
• Make sure the drawers don’t fall out easily.
• Look for built-in drawer stops that limit how far drawers can be extended or interlocks that prevent more than one drawer being opened at the same time.
• Look for furniture with sturdy backing material, which increases stability.
• Look for low-set furniture or furniture with a sturdy, stable and broad base, which makes it less likely to tip over.

Tips to reduce toppling furniture incidents in your home

Whether assembling or arranging new furniture or reviewing the safety of your current furniture, here are some things to keep in mind. 

• Securing furniture to the wall or floor is the best way to prevent furniture from tipping over. If your furniture doesn’t come with anchoring hardware or you’re securing furniture you already own, you can get the necessary parts from a furniture retailer, hardware store or a specialty baby goods store. If you’re not sure which product is right for your furniture, ask at your local hardware store or seek the advice of a professional. 
• Locate furniture on a flat, even surface where possible. Furniture is more unstable when it’s on an uneven or soft surface, such as carpet or a rug. If you plan to place your furniture on carpet against a wall, check to make sure the carpet isn’t bulging.
• Keep your heaviest items at the bottom of your drawers or shelves. Top-heavy furniture is easier to tip over.
• Do not place heavy items such as TVs or items that are enticing to children on top of furniture.
• Put locking devices on all drawers to help prevent children from opening drawers and using them as steps.

The post The danger of toppling furniture and how to avoid it appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

If you鈥檙e tempted by the ultra-cheap toys available online, think twice.

Online marketplaces largely operate beyond the reach of regulation, so buying presents for your baby or toddler from one of these digital retailers could mean they end up with a toy that poses a serious safety risk 鈥� one that you had no way of knowing about.

It鈥檚 a high price to pay for what would generally be a very cheap product.

Such incidents have become more possible than ever because fast-growing global retailers such as Temu, AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, Kogan and others aren鈥檛 required to make sure the products they sell through third-party suppliers on their platforms are safe before selling them.

Online marketplaces can choose to sign up to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission鈥檚 voluntary Product Safety Pledge as a gesture of compliance, but if they make safety commitments, the ACCC has no power to make sure they鈥檙e actually following through on them.

The results of our most recent test of products bought from the above-mentioned platforms show what can happen when regulations don鈥檛 keep pace with accelerating developments in the digital marketplace.

Serious safety failures found in 糖心Vlog toy testing

We purchased 22 products suitable for children under 3, including rattles, teethers and whistles. Six of them had serious safety failures based on Australian mandatory standards, ranging from choking hazards to lack of safety warnings. These are design failures that could send your child to the hospital or worse. 

Our mechanical testing comes on the heels of the button battery safety testing we conducted earlier this year on children鈥檚 products bought from online marketplaces. This also revealed multiple safety failures. 

We also selected a further 18 painted and brightly coloured toys and tested them for chemical content, such as lead and cadmium; fortunately they all passed these tests.

Symptom of a larger issue

The failure to prevent online marketplaces from selling unsafe products is just part of the problem.

With no laws currently in place that require manufacturers or retailers to ensure products are safe before they go on sale in Australia, consumers become the unwitting guinea pigs 鈥� and often suffer the consequences.

The ACCC estimates that unsafe products cause tens of thousands of injuries and many hundreds of deaths every year in Australia, including products that have been recalled but remain in people鈥檚 homes.

Marketplaces remove dangerous products

After we got in touch with the marketplaces selling the toys with safety issues, they generally did the right thing.

A Temu spokesperson says the company 鈥渄oes not permit third-party sellers to list products that fail to meet applicable safety or regulatory requirements,” adding that the teether toy that failed our test had been removed before we contacted the company about it.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed that the unsafe products had been removed after we flagged them, saying 鈥渁ll products offered in our store must comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies鈥�.

eBay also confirmed it had removed the dangerous products after we contacted them.

AliExpress rejected our claim that an unsafe baby rattle was for sale on its platform, saying it couldn鈥檛 find the item. But we found many similar rattles still available to order.

If there鈥檚 a problem with a purchase, customers are generally told by these global sites to take it up with the third-party seller, which is often based overseas and, in many cases, unreachable. In short, today鈥檚 digital marketplaces sell billions of cut-rate products of dubious quality and gladly take the money, but they take no responsibility for the safety of what they sell.

鈥淲hile these unsafe toys have now been removed from sale, they should never have been available for purchase at all. Until we introduce stronger product safety laws, online marketplaces will continue to be under no clear, legal obligation to ensure the products sold by third party suppliers on their platforms are safe, even for children,鈥� says 糖心Vlog director of campaigns and communications Andy Kelly.

鈥溙切腣log is continuing to call for stronger product safety laws which will make it illegal for all companies, including online marketplaces like AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Temu, to sell unsafe products.”

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Australia theoretically became a safer place for children on 22 June 2022, when mandatory button battery safety standards came into effect.

Since then, manufacturers selling products containing button batteries in Australia have been required to secure battery compartments to prevent children from accessing them. They also have to undergo their own testing to make sure batteries are secured, and include warnings and emergency advice on packaging about the dangers of button batteries.

This product safety legislation was a world first, and it applies to retailers as well as manufacturers 鈥� but not to online marketplaces themselves when acting as an intermediary between the customer and a third-party supplier.

The impetus for this long overdue reform couldn’t have been more urgent, or more tragic. As of 2020, three deaths and at least 44 serious injuries had resulted from children ingesting button batteries in Australia. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also reported in 2020 that an estimated one child a month is seriously injured after swallowing or inserting a button battery.

Bright, shiny and lolly-shaped, small children naturally want to put these bite-sized batteries in their mouths. Once that happens, they pose not only a choking hazard but can cause severe internal burns and tissue damage when lodged in any part of the body.

The risk is increased by the fact that medical professionals can misdiagnose symptoms and be slow to link a child’s worsening illness to a button battery ingestion.

Many products fail our test

Laws, of course, only work to the extent that businesses follow them. 糖心Vlog has conducted several battery button safety tests in our labs in recent years, and failures have been common. Last year, we reported on the results of our test of 15 common household products containing button batteries. Ten of the products failed to meet the mandatory standards. 

The focus of our most recent safety test was the online marketplaces Shein, AliExpress, Amazon, Kogan Marketplace and eBay.

We purchased five toys or novelty items from each site that contained button batteries 鈥� products that would likely be attractive to small children. The results once again show that adherence to the mandatory button battery safety standards is spotty at best, with online platforms failing to stop sellers from listing unsafe products. 

Amazon, eBay and Shein remove the products

We reported the results of our button battery safety tests to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as well as the online marketplaces. 

When we alerted AliExpress about our findings, the company rejected them as ‘unsubstantiated’ within hours. When we appealed that decision, our appeal was rejected. Amazon, eBay and Shein removed the products from their sites shortly after we reported them. 

A Shein spokesperson tells 糖心Vlog the company “takes product safety very seriously and is committed to offering safe and reliable products to its customers”, adding that its code of conduct stipulates that vendors that sell products on its platform must comply with the laws of whichever country they’re sold in. 

In May 2023, the ACCC issued its first penalties for violations of the button battery standards against The Reject Shop and Dusk totalling around $240,000. The retailers were selling novelty Halloween products that failed to adhere to the safety standard. 

In October this year, the ACCC recalled three products with non-compliant button batteries. Two of them 鈥�  (sold by Oceana International) and  (sold at Coles supermarkets) 鈥� were Halloween themed. The third were  (sold by online retailer Shein).

The Wiggles sell thousands of non-compliant headbands

In more recent legal action, the ACCC compelled the famed Australian children’s musical group The Wiggles earlier this month to admit it had breached regulations by selling thousands of Emma Bow headbands that lacked mandatory button battery safety warnings. The headbands were recalled in August 2024 and The Wiggles have agreed to produce an episode of its podcast “Wiggle Talk 鈥� A Podcast For Parents”, which will cover the recall of the Emma Bow headband and discuss safety issues relating to button batteries and children’s toys. 

In two other cases this year, the ACCC issued eight infringement notices and $150,240 in penalties to Hungry Jack’s for supplying a Garfield-themed toy that didn’t comply with the safety standard, and commenced court proceedings against the retailer City Beach for selling 70 product lines with button batteries that were non-compliant.

The long road to regulation 

糖心Vlog has been campaigning on button battery safety since 2016, when we launched a petition in partnership with Kidsafe Queensland and The Parenthood calling on the government to introduce mandatory safety standards. This followed the deaths of four-year-old Summer Steer and 14-month-old Isabella Reese, both of whom had swallowed batteries. Isabella’s mum, Alison Burns, became a tireless advocate for mandatory standards following the death of her daughter, setting up an organisation called  to raise awareness and drive change. 

According to Queensland Health, around 20 children a week around Australia are taken to the hospital due to a suspected button battery incident. 

The ACCC issued a voluntary industry code for button battery safety, but it did little to reduce the risk of injury and death to children. Manufacturers generally ignored it. 

In 2019, we tested 17 common household items 鈥� including ear thermometers, kitchen and bathroom scales, and remote controls 鈥� against the voluntary standard. Ten had unsecured batteries that could have easily been accessed and swallowed by children.

In 2020, Australia recorded its third button battery death. Three-year-old Brittney Conway died after swallowing a button battery that became lodged in her oesophagus, burning a hole through to her aorta.

It was clear that self-regulation wasn’t working. But now that government regulation has been introduced, it’s also clear that mandatory standards are one thing, and universal compliance is another. 

“It’s disappointing that online marketplaces continue to undermine the effectiveness of strong mandatory standards by failing to ensure that the products they sell are compliant and safe,” says deputy director of campaigns and communications, Andy Kelly.

“That’s why 糖心Vlog is calling for stronger product safety laws that make it illegal for all companies to sell unsafe products 鈥� and online marketplaces should be no exception,” says Kelly.

The post Shein, AliExpress, eBay and Amazon failing on button battery safety appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• The sunscreens for kids that failed 糖心Vlog testing
• Tips for sun-safe babies and kids

We know that one of the most important elements of being sun safe is to regularly apply a SPF 50 or higher broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen to create a barrier between the sun and our skin, and this is particularly important for children.听

But choosing a sunscreen from the huge variety on offer, and knowing which one is best for your family, can be a confusing task.听

Kids have a higher risk of sunburn and skin damage due to their delicate skin, and exposure to UV radiation during their first 15 years greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.听

There are plenty of sunscreens that are targeted towards parents and carers, specifically labelled as being suitable, safe or even specially designed for babies, kids and ‘juniors’. These can differ in various ways from standard sunscreens and may or may not be suitable for your child.听

Alarmingly, in recent 糖心Vlog testing, several sunscreens did not live up to their SPF claims, making it even more important to ensure you’re putting multiple sun-safe strategies in place.

Sun protection for kids

When it comes to sun protection, sunscreen is just one of the strategies experts advise we should be using, particularly when it comes to children.听

Most Australians are familiar with the Cancer Council’s Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide awareness campaign, which encourages us to Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade, and Slide on some sunglasses to maximise sun protection and reduce the risk of skin cancer.听

We’re also advised to avoid sun exposure during the middle of the day when UV radiation levels are at their highest.听

Where physical barriers such as wraps, clothing, hats and shade cannot prevent exposure of skin to the sun, an SPF 50 or higher, broad-spectrum and water-resistant sunscreen should be used.听

Do you need a special ‘kids’ sunscreen?

Children aged over six months can generally use the same sunscreen as adults, but there are reasons to consider using a sunscreen specifically designed for kids, especially for babies and toddlers.听

These formulas, often marketed with fun, bright colours with ‘kids’ labelling, are just as protective, but can be much gentler on younger, more sensitive skin.听

SunSmart (a partnership between Vic Health and the Cancer Council Victoria) says: “Sensitive and toddler sunscreens avoid using ingredients and preservatives that may cause reactions in young skin. It is recommended you apply a small amount of the product on a small area of the child’s skin for a few days to check if the skin reacts before applying it to other areas.”听

Kid-friendly sunscreens also often come in roll-ons or sprays, which you may find easier to apply to a squirming toddler than a cream. But if you’re using a spray or aerosol sunscreen, be careful that you’re evenly applying the correct dose.

Chemical vs physical sunscreens

There are two main types of sunscreens, which differ based on their active ingredients:

• Physical sunscreen (also known as mineral sunscreen) contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as its active ingredients. These create a physical barrier on the skin to deflect or scatter UV rays away from your skin.听
• Chemical sunscreen absorbs UV rays and stops it from penetrating your skin. Common active ingredients in this type of sunscreen are homosalate and octocrylene. Chemical sunscreens can cause skin irritation.

Mineral-based sunscreens containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are considered to be the safest option for babies under six months, as they offer protection from UV light, yet very little is absorbed through the surface of the skin.听

They tend to leave a white residue on the skin (think of the white or fluoro stripes from zinc sticks adorning kids’ noses on the beach), but this is easily washed off.听

Many parents opt for physical sunscreens for older children, too, and there are plenty of sunscreens of this type marketed as being family-friendly.听听

Concerns about endocrine disruptors

There’s also concern that some chemical sunscreens are endocrine disruptors 鈥� that is, they have hormonal effects in humans. These include oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, homosalate and 4-MBC.听

While this activity has been shown in animals and tissue tests, the doses used in testing are vastly greater than the amount used for human sun protection.听

Sunscreens are regulated in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and their ingredients must be approved and assessed for quality and safety.

The sunscreens for kids that failed 糖心Vlog testing

糖心Vlog has tested 20 popular sunscreens, from a range of widely available and commonly purchased brands at different price points, to see whether the sun protection factor (SPF) claims made on each product are legitimate.

Alarmingly, 16 of the 20 sunscreens we tested failed to match their stated claims of SPF 50 or SPF 50+.听

Four of the sunscreens we tested were products marketed specifically for children. Only one, the Cancer Council Kids Sunscreen 50+, passed our testing with a reported SPF of 52.

The following sunscreens marketed for children failed to meet their claims:听

• Banana Boat Baby Zinc Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ 鈥� returned a test result of SPF 28.
• Cancer Council Kids Clear Zinc 50+ 鈥� returned a test result of SPF 33.
• Nivea Sun Kids Ultra Protect and Play Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ 鈥� returned a test result of SPF 41.

See the full list of sunscreens that failed to meet their SPF claims.

Any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen

It’s important to note that using any sunscreen is better than using no sunscreen, especially when it comes to children over six months old.

SPF is a measure of how effective sunscreen is at protecting your skin from UVB rays. If it takes five minutes of sun exposure for your skin to start burning, applying an SPF 50 sunscreen protects you for 50 times that amount of time 鈥� in this case 250 minutes. Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 would protect you 鈥� ideally 鈥� for 180 minutes, a sunscreen with an SPF of 25 for 125 minutes and so on.听

So a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or even 20 still offers a significant amount of sun protection.听

Even if you have one of the brands above in your bathroom cupboard, you should still continue to use it. Just be aware that it may not deliver the level of sun protection it claims on its packaging and you should adjust your reapplication schedule accordingly.

Tips for sun-safe babies and kids

For babies

• Keep babies in the shade as often as possible.
• If it’s impossible to avoid the sun, make sure they are only exposed for a few minutes.
• If you can’t cover your baby completely with clothing when they are in the sun, use sunscreen designed for sensitive skin or for children, and apply to exposed areas. Be sure to do a patch test first (on a small area of skin) if it’s a brand you haven’t used before to ensure it doesn’t cause a reaction.
• Be prepared when you go out 鈥� carry suitable clothing, hats and sunscreen so you aren’t caught out. Pack a sun shade/shelter for the beach and/or park, and avoid heading out at peak UV times.
• Role model the behaviour 鈥� kids and even babies are more likely to be happy to wear sun-safe clothing and hats if you do.听

For older children

• On days that will have UV levels of 3 or higher you should make sure your child is wearing sunscreen when they go to school, and preferably that they pack some in their bag to reapply themselves. UV levels and sun protection times are reported in the weather page of Australian daily newspapers, on the Bureau of Meteorology website, and on some radio and mobile weather apps.
• If children are very active and will be sweating or swimming, ensure you choose a water-resistant sunscreen and reapply regularly.

For everyone

• Put on sunscreen 15鈥�20 minutes before going outside.
• Make sure you use enough sunscreen 鈥� you need at least a teaspoon (5mL) for each leg, arm, your back and so on, and more if you’re bigger.
• If you’re sweating heavily or rubbing your face, you’ll need to reapply every two hours. If you’ve been in the water, dry yourself and reapply.

The post What is the best sunscreen for babies and kids? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Consumer regulators are urging anyone with the recalled Best&Less Light-Up Clog Shoes or Crocs LED Jibbitz Charms to stop using the products immediately and keep them out of reach of children.听

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) product safety arm issued the recall notice this week after finding these two products do not comply with the mandatory information standards for products containing button batteries (also called coin batteries).

The Best&Less Light-Up Clog Shoes were sold in green with a dinosaur light and pink with a star light. The light component can separate from the shoe and cause the batteries to detach. The clogs were available for sale at Best&Less stores nationally and online from 1 September 2024 to 22 May 2025.

The Crocs LED Jibbitz Charms were sold at 126 different retail stores and on the Crocs website. The recall affects 102 charms that were sold between 22 June 2022 and 19 April 2024.

Parents or carers may not be aware that both of these products contain button batteries, which can cause serious injury to young children if ingested.听

What you should do if you own these products

Best&Less Light-up Clog Shoes

Visit the听听on the Product Safety Australia website for more information.

The ACCC advises:

1. Stop using the product immediately and keep out of reach of children.
2. Return to any Best & Less store for a refund.

Crocs LED Jibbitz Charms

Visit the on the Product Safety Australia website for more information, including the full list of retailers and charms affected.

The ACCC advises:

1. Stop using the product immediately and keep it out of reach of children.
2. Dispose of the product in accordance with local requirements for disposal of batteries.
3. Visit 听for detailed instructions on how to request a refund or visit the place of purchase.

Products still failing to meet standards

The recall is the latest of many that consumer regulators have issued for products not complying with button battery safety rules, after world-first standards came into force in 2022.

Under the changes championed by 糖心Vlog, items with button or coin batteries are required to come with specific warnings and meet certain specifications.听

The standards require secure battery compartments, child-resistant packaging, and warnings on products and batteries.听

The ACCC says the standards were not met in the case of the Best&Less light-up clogs and Crocs LED Jibbitz Charms.

“It’s concerning that two years after mandatory button battery safety standards came into effect, we are still seeing these kinds of compliance failures,” says 糖心Vlog campaigns and communications director Rosie Thomas.听

“It’s particularly concerning to learn that an incident has occurred, given these products are commonly purchased by parents for their young children. We all should be able to trust that what we buy for our kids is safe.”

The dangers of button batteries

Button batteries can be found in a broad range of toys and household items, and multiple children have died after swallowing batteries they had retrieved from insecure packaging.

Once ingested, button batteries can cause choking, severe burns and internal bleeding.

In 2020, following campaigning by 糖心Vlog and parents, Australia became the first country in the world to introduce mandatory safety and information standards for products containing these batteries.

As well as mandating secure battery compartments and testing, the standards also require warnings and emergency advice to be put on the packaging of products containing these batteries.

Thomas says these warnings play an important role in helping parents and carers keep their young ones safe.

“The recalls also highlight why we need to reboot our entire product safety system. 糖心Vlog continues to call for a general safety provision that requires businesses to sell products that are safe,” she says.听

The post Urgent recall over button battery dangers: Best&Less clogs and Crocs Jibbitz charms appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Consumer regulators are urging anyone with a “Burping Garfield” toy handed out with children’s meals at Hungry Jack’s to return it to the fast food giant.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) product safety arm issued the recall notice this week after finding the toy didn’t come with required battery warnings.

The toy, which was being distributed to promote a new Garfield movie, was available at Hungry Jack’s stores nationwide between 20 May and 30 May 2024.

The recall is the latest of many that consumer regulators have issued for products not complying with button battery safety rules, after world-first standards came into force.

Under the changes championed by 糖心Vlog, items with button or coin batteries are required to come with specific warnings; the ACCC says this information wasn’t included with the Garfield toy.

“It’s concerning that two years after mandatory button battery safety standards came into effect, we are still seeing these kinds of compliance failures,” says 糖心Vlog campaigns and communications director Rosie Thomas.

The dangers of button batteries

Button batteries can be found in a broad range of toys and household items and multiple children have died after swallowing batteries they had retrieved from insecure packaging.

Once ingested, button batteries can cause choking, severe burns and internal bleeding.

In 2020, following campaigning by 糖心Vlog and parents, Australia became the first country in the world to introduce mandatory safety and information standards for products containing these batteries.

As well as mandating secure battery compartments and testing, the standards also require warnings and emergency advice to be put on the packaging of products containing these batteries.

Thomas says these warnings play an important role in helping parents and carers keep their young ones safe.

“Hearing about dangerous products being served alongside children’s meals is very alarming, so we’re pleased to see the regulator warn people about this safety failure.”

Customers urged to return toy

The ACCC says anyone with the Garfield toy should immediately stop using the product and place it out of reach of children. They should then return it to their nearest Hungry Jack’s, where they can receive a battery-free replacement at no extra cost.

In a statement, Hungry Jack’s says it has “implemented immediate steps” to halt distribution of the toy and is working with the product supplier and authorities to address the situation.

While Thomas welcomes these warnings, she says more must be done to protect Australians from unsafe products.

“糖心Vlog encourages consumer affairs ministers across the country to prioritise the introduction of a market-wide general safety provision,” she says.听

“This will mean manufacturers and retailers will have to make sure that the products they sell are safe 鈥� something not currently required in Australia.”

The post Hungry Jack’s Garfield toy recalled in latest button battery safety fail appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• The problem with button batteries
• Current button battery safety standards
• About our 2024 test
• What we found
• Manufacturer responses
• Safety warning failures
• Compliant products
• What consumers can do about button battery safety risks

Button batteries are everywhere these days, powering everything from medical devices to musical birthday cards.

But they are also a potentially lethal threat to young children, who ingest them at an alarming rate.

In December 2020, after years of campaigning by 糖心Vlog and other organisations, the Australian government introduced .听

Manufacturers, suppliers and retailers were given 18 months to comply with the new standards, which finally took effect in June 2022.听

But are companies actually adhering to these laws? We took to our labs to find out.

The problem with button batteries

According to statistics (which date back several years before the regulations were introduced), around 20 children present to hospital emergency departments every week in Australia due to a suspected button battery ingestion or insertion.

In some cases, the damage is catastrophic and can be fatal.

Why is it happening? Button batteries are enticingly shiny and smooth. They’re also easy to swallow and can get stuck on the way to the stomach, where they cause severe localised internal burning with surprisingly few outward symptoms apart from the child simply feeling sick or in pain.

There have been three button battery-related deaths in Australia to date. In these cases, the parents didn’t know their child had swallowed a battery and its source was never found.

Button and coin batteries are a cheap and convenient way to power small items such as thermometers, garage remotes and watches, so it’s easy to see why they have become so common.听

Toys designed for children aged under three are legally required to have secured battery compartments, but up until 2022, they were the only products where battery safety was mandated.

Current button battery safety standards

(regulations) were announced in 2020, with plenty of time for manufacturers and retailers to get their products compliant.听

The standards came into effect in June 2022, but we’re still finding non-compliant products.

The new regulations cover products that contain button or coin batteries, as well as button and coin batteries themselves.听

They specify certain industry standards that can be used to prove the product’s safety (including toy standards AS/NZS 8124.1 and AS/NZS 62115, audio/video equipment standard AS/NZS 62368.1, and others) as well as additional requirements for some products.

The safety tests generally involve a range of physical tests to see if the batteries can be accessed too easily. For example, the battery compartment cover may be subjected to various forces to make sure that it can’t be easily opened by a child.听

‘Foreseeable misuse’ tests help to make sure the batteries aren’t exposed after typical mishaps such as if the product is dropped onto a hard floor.

A common requirement for most products is that not only must the battery compartment be secure, but any fastener for the compartment cover (such as a screw) must be captive. That is, it stays in the battery compartment cover when it’s removed so that it isn’t lost.听

If the screw is lost in the course of changing the battery, then the compartment cover is no longer secure enough, and it’s too easy for a child to access the button or coin battery inside.

The regulations also cover the warnings and information that need to be on the packaging and instructions for button and coin batteries, and for any products that contain them. The packaging needs to feature an internationally recognised safety alert symbol that’s clearly visible, prominent and legible.

About our 2024 test

Our latest button battery investigation is the second we’ve undertaken since the regulations became law. In January 2023, we found that six out of 15 products we bought in late 2022 had serious safety failures.听

We found an even worse failure rate in January 2024, with serious failures in 10 out of 15 products that we bought in late 2023.听

Many of these products were bought from online marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay, but some of the failed products were sold at large retail outlet The Reject Shop too.

Once again, we bought a range of different everyday products, all powered by button or coin batteries, and put them to the test in the 糖心Vlog accredited laboratories to check if they comply.听

The 15 products included:

• greeting cards
• wristwatches
• LED products such as a light-up skirt and novelty glasses
• toys
• musical light-up candles
• digital thermometers
• door sensor alarms
• tyre gauges.

We tested the products as per the toy standards, for which our labs are accredited, and which is one of the allowed options in the regulations.听

Manufacturers are free to choose any of the nominated standards within the regulations, which can lead to slightly different results for some products.听

For that reason, we put our findings to each of the manufacturers, in case they could show they had complied via one of the other testing options.

Dr Ruth Barker, a paediatrician and director of the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit, has been a leader for many years in efforts to improve product safety standards. She made these comments on previous tests we’ve done of such products:

“Although the products tested may not seem to be the sort of thing a young child would be attracted to, the research shows that children access batteries from a diverse range of common household products.

“Sometimes the product is dropped and the battery released, the product is left on the coffee table, car seat, or kitchen bench, and sometimes kids climb or rummage about to find batteries from the most unlikely sources, even several years after the initial purchase.

“Novelties and cheap plastic products, often sold with a ‘this is not a toy’ label, are a serious issue, but in general toys are not the main culprit. Quality toys tend to be designed with battery safety in mind.”

What we found

Serious failures

Two products came with battery compartments that were easy to open without a tool and had no screws. These were the unbranded digital thermometer and the FaSoLa door sensor alarm.听听

A further six products we tested had a battery compartment that was secured with a screw, but it was not captive 鈥� that is, it came loose from the battery compartment cover when we unscrewed it.

Under the regulations, it depends on which standard has been used to prove compliance, but in most cases (including the toy standards on which we based our tests) the battery compartment must be secured with captive screws or other fasteners so that they aren’t lost.听

If the screws go missing in the course of changing the battery, then the compartment cover is no longer secure enough, and it becomes too easy for a child to access the button or coin battery inside.

Products with non-captive screws in our 2024 tests:听

• Cool Stuff, TNW Dinosaur Torch and Projector, DI065DIN
• Disney Pixar Toy Story Woody’s Roundup, Woody The Sheriff Talking Action Figure, 4653-T
• TRS Trading Group Joy Light Up Figure, 30129936, Santa Claus design (The Reject Shop)
• TRS Trading Group Joy Light Up Novelty Glasses, 30131105, Santa Claus design (The Reject Shop)
• Unbranded Digital Tire Gauge, N00X Accurate Tire Pressure Gauges Gold, X00154DUON
• Unbranded LED Tutu Skirt Light Purple, 6E1010316.

Lithium battery concern

One of the worst products we saw was an LED tutu skirt from eBay that contained two dangerous lithium batteries (CR2032). Not only were the screws able to be separated from the battery compartment, but there were no safety alert symbols whatsoever on the packaging or the skirt itself.

Manufacturer responses

The Reject Shop

We alerted The Reject Shop to the failures we found with the Christmas light-up figure and novelty glasses that had non-captive screws, making the batteries accessible.

The company responded by sending us a number of test reports from accredited third-party labs that state compliance to the requirements of the mandatory standards. However, these reports suggest that the samples they sent for testing and approval have captive screws, whereas we found that the samples we bought instore did not.

The screw on the Christmas light-up figure was able to be removed from the cover with a standard Phillips head screwdriver, and the ones on the novelty glasses could be removed from the cover with a fine-tip precision Phillips head screwdriver that can be commonly bought at discount stores (including The Reject Shop).

Our experts stand by the results based on the samples we bought and tested.

LED skirt eBay seller

In response to our concerns, the eBay seller said it would “report the problem to our supplier” and suggested refunding us $4 “as compensation and you can keep the item” (we did not accept the offer).

We alerted the ACCC, who investigated, and our buyer eventually received an email from eBay saying, “We take product safety very seriously. We’re reaching out to you because an item you purchased may have been recalled or pose a safety hazard. We recommend that you stop using this product. If you have questions about the item(s), please reach out to the seller or the manufacturer.”

Other sellers did not respond to our queries.

Safety warning failures

In our past investigations, we’ve found that some of the required warnings and information about button batteries were very small and/or hard to read. The regulations require the warning symbols and information to be visible, prominent and legible (they don’t specify actual dimensions for these warnings).

Worryingly, we found a number of products with serious failures regarding safety alerts and inadequate warnings that did not meet mandatory requirements:

• Cool Stuff, TNW Dinosaur Torch and Projector, DI065DIN听
• Disney Pixar Toy Story Woody’s Roundup, Woody The Sheriff Talking Action Figure, 4653-T
• FaSoLa Door Sensor Alarm, JY-291
• Unbranded 24.5cm Digital Thermometer, H6200, KT300
• Unbranded Digital Tire Gauge, N00X Accurate Tire Pressure Gauges Gold, X00154DUON
• Unbranded LED Tutu Skirt Light Purple, 6E1010316
• Unbranded Musical Birthday Candle, @3229114@10-18, 68104804/C15-4-201 (this had a safety alert symbol but still had inadequate warnings about the battery)
• Unbranded Musical Candle, 62145.

We alerted the ACCC to these failures. It recalled a number of similar products to the dinosaur torch that were provided as novelty items at games arcades. Our buyer also received an email from eBay about one of the musical candles, advising them to stop using the product. It had the same wording as the message about the LED tutu.

Compliant products

The good news is we found several products that were fully compliant with the mandatory standards, and happily this includes toys and products targeted towards children.

For example, the Hallmark musical greeting card had two batteries enclosed in shields which were securely fastened by rivets to its circuit board, as well as all required warning symbols.

Products that passed all our tests:

• Kmart Anko Pop-Out Pencil Case 43-214-105
• Kmart Anko Spy 3D & Night Vision Goggles 42-977-735
• Kmart Anko Wipe & Draw Tablet 10″ Colour 43-112-401
• Hallmark Interactive Musical Greeting Card, Disney Princess Design 40037240
• Unbranded Timepiece 365 Digital 218475 (bought from Big W).

Switching to compliant stock

In our 2023 test, we found examples of non-compliant versions of products still in stock at stores, even though they had been replaced by compliant versions (such as ones with captive screws).听

We did not come across any in 2024, but we did buy a key fob controller that we thought might contain a button or coin battery when in fact it was powered by a AAA one.听

We’ve seen this trend with pedestal and tower fans that use small remotes: 11 out of the last 22 models we tested use AAA batteries as opposed to button ones, which shows how many products can be designed safely without the need for a button battery.

What consumers can do about button battery safety risks

• Choose products that are powered with larger batteries that are much less likely to be swallowed (e.g. AAA, AA or 9V). This is especially true for toys.
• Try to keep any products that contain button and coin batteries out of reach of young children.
• When buying products that contain button and coin batteries, look for packaging with the safety alert symbol shown clearly, and with clear warnings about button battery safety. They’re a good sign that the manufacturer has aimed for compliance with the mandatory standard.
• For products with replaceable batteries, check that the battery compartment is secure, preferably with a captive screw or similar fastener.

The post Button battery safety failures appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• Dishwasher detergent
• Laundry powder, liquids and capsules听
• Child-resistant closures (CRCs)
• Using dishwasher and laundry detergent safely
• Alkaline salts
• Signs of poisoning

According to the :

• almost 40 children are admitted to hospital each week because of poisoning
• medicines are the most common cause of childhood poisonings
• household chemicals, including detergents, are another significant cause.

If your child has been exposed to household chemicals or other poisons, immediately contact the听 on 13 11 26.

Poisonings generally occur when a container isn’t properly closed or put away out of reach in a cupboard, and 鈥� more commonly 鈥� if a product doesn’t come in a child-resistant container (such as dishwasher detergent in a simple cardboard box).

Detergents are just one source of household danger for children. Have a look at our advice on other home dangers and how to avoid them.

Dishwasher detergent

As a liquid or powder, dishwasher detergent is alkaline and if swallowed听鈥�听in even small amounts听鈥�听it can be extremely caustic and can cause severe burns to the mouth, throat and airways.听

In a worst-case scenario, this can lead to lifelong injuries or death.

The brightly coloured packaging, vibrant liquids and lolly-like tablets can look like yummy treats to small kids, and the number of child poisonings associated with dishwasher detergent runs into the hundreds.

Detergent can also get into a child’s eyes, potentially causing severe irritation and conjunctivitis. Even just skin contact can sometimes be harmful, resulting in rashes or blisters.

Laundry powder, liquids and capsules听

As well as liquids and loose powders, powder blocks and laundry capsules are a potential danger to children.听

The speckled blocks look like bite-sized lumps of sherbet and the capsules can easily be mistaken for jellies.听

These capsules, also known as pods, are designed to dissolve in about 10 seconds in the washing machine, so it doesn’t take long for the liquid to leak into little mouths, where it can cause chemical burns, inflammation, vomiting and diarrhea. In the worst cases, ingestion of detergent can be fatal.

Accidents involving children’s exposure to laundry capsules are a common cause of calls to poison hotlines.

Child-resistant closures (CRCs)

These lids are designed to restrict access to substances that could be dangerous to children.听

They should make it difficult for a youngster to open the container, but not too tricky for an adult to reseal it, otherwise it may not be resealed properly after use.听

As far as dishwasher detergent bottles are concerned, not all their CRCs are designed the same way, and they’re generally easier to open than, say, a medicine bottle.听

You generally have to squeeze and turn the cap to open the bottle, but with some, to reseal it you must turn the cap until it clicks into place twice.听

Often bottles don’t specify that the cap requires two clicks to be properly closed, so many parents may not be closing the container completely.

While child-resistant closures have reduced the number of child poisonings over the years, the large number of reported incidents involving children and dishwasher detergent shows two things: that people aren’t aware of the potential dangers, and that some closures are simply not good enough.

Better labels needed to keep kids safe from poisoning

Most products comply with current labelling laws, but we think the closing mechanism needs to be explained on the bottle (e.g. two clicks to secure) and the cautions should stand out more prominently (e.g. in red, or in a box) on highly alkaline products.

So don’t rely on supposedly child-resistant caps or packaging to keep your children safe. The best bet is to keep potential poisons well out of reach.

Using dishwasher and laundry detergent safely

• Always close the container properly 鈥� if it has a cap, test that the cap is locked in place.
• Store the detergent out of reach of young children, on a high shelf or in a locked cupboard, and put it back there as soon as you’ve finished using it.
• Put detergent in the dishwasher or washing machine just before the wash, and if there’s any residue, clean it out afterwards 鈥撎齝hildren have been known to scrape the leftover goop out of the dispenser and eat it.
• Some washing machines offer automatic detergent dosing, which involves having a reservoir of detergent stored in the machine. This could be a safer option than having open containers of detergent in your home, but read our guide to see if this feature would suit you.
• Ask grandparents, nannies and others who look after your children to follow your detergent rules 鈥撎齛t your home and theirs, if the kids are likely to visit.

Alkaline salts

Dishwasher detergents that are based on alkaline salts must carry the warning BURNS SKIN AND THROAT.

Some detergents are based on enzymes and oxygen bleach, which are less alkaline (and therefore less caustic) than the alkaline salts.听

These have a lower pH and are likely to cause less severe injuries when swallowed.听

Enzyme-based products may be less caustic, but don’t get complacent with them听鈥�听they can still cause harm and will still have poison warnings on the package.

Signs of poisoning

If you think your child has swallowed a corrosive, burning poison (such as dishwasher detergent, acid, caustic oven cleaner, drain cleaner, swimming pool chemicals or some disinfectants), seek urgent medical help.听

Signs to watch for include:

• red lips
• blisters
• possible breathlessness and coughing听
• swelling inside the mouth and severe pain.

More first aid tips

• The Poisons Information Centre website offers detailed听.
• If the child has collapsed or is not breathing, call an ambulance on 000 and start resuscitation. Once the ambulance is on its way, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
• If the poison has been swallowed, don’t try to induce vomiting as this may just cause more harm.
• If the poison is in their eye, flood the eye with cool water, and continue to flush for 15 minutes, holding the eyelids open.
• If the poison is on their skin, remove any contaminated clothing (avoid contact with the poison while doing so) and flood the skin with cool running water.

The post Dishwasher and laundry detergent danger appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

According to the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU), between 2013 and 2018, an average of 708 children under five years old presented at Victorian emergency departments each year, injured by nursery furniture.听

Forty-one percent of these injuries happened in the first year of life. Falls are the most common cause of injury and more than 75% of injuries are to the face, head or neck.

Dr Ruth Barker, a paediatrician and director of the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit, says children’s unpredictable actions and rapidly developing abilities can easily catch parents out.听

“It’s important to create a space that is safe not only for their current abilities, but for the abilities they will develop over time,” she says. “Parents need to anticipate and stay one jump ahead, because you don’t want the first time they do something to be their last.”

To keep your baby’s nursery safe, here are some of the most dangerous nursery design trends to avoid.

Around the cot

Blinds and curtains

Positioning your cot near a window framed by stylish curtains or blinds may look appealing, but this location creates fall and strangulation risks.

“I’ve heard of 12-month-olds who have climbed up their cot and fallen over the cot rail head first,” says Barker. “If your cot is next to a window, this can be catastrophic.”

If parents do want to put the cot near a window, she advises, a window guard can make this a safer option.

Blinds or curtains are even more dangerous, as babies have died from being strangled by loose blind or curtain cords hanging near their cots. According to the ACCC, one to two Australian children die from blind or curtain cords every year, and many others are hospitalised. Apart from the cords, long curtains could also make their way into the cot and pose a strangulation risk.

Wall decorations听

Whether it’s a mirror, framed print, wall hanging or custom-name plate, the wall space directly above the cot is rarely left bare in nursery images.听

Yes, these items can make for a great photo, but it’s best to hang them on a different wall, as they may fall or be pulled into the cot, injuring your child.听听

Unsecured furniture

Freestanding furniture may complement your nursery aesthetic, but, according to VISU, furniture tip-overs sent more than 50 children under four to Victorian emergency rooms in 2015/16 .听

Any furniture in the nursery should be fixed or bracketed to the wall, especially if it’s within arm’s reach of the cot.

On the cot

Canopies

One of the most popular nursery design trends is a canopy flowing over the corner of the cot to create what some parents see as a ‘dreamy’ fairytale look.听

But cot canopies are dangerous for babies and young children and the because of the risk of strangulation.听

Barker says parents should never hang any excess fabric on or over the cot.听

“I’ve treated a baby who used a mosquito net to pull up to stand, and ended up wrapping it around her neck,” she says.听

“Luckily, her mother came into the room and found her dangling from the net before it was too late.”

Fairy lights

The soft glow that a string of fairy lights gives out can create a magical ambiance. But you should never hang them over the cot or lace them through the bars.听

According to Barker, the string is a strangulation risk and removable bulbs may be a choke hazard. She also advises parents to take particular care with any light or device in their child’s nursery.听

“If it’s battery powered, check that it doesn’t use button batteries, which are particularly dangerous for children and ensure all batteries are securely fastened,” she says. “If it’s electric you need to consider the risk of electrocution if your child chews on the cord.”

Garlands/bunting听

These may seem like a cheap and easy way to add a pop of colour to your child’s cot. But their strings are a strangulation hazard.

Throws

Styled nursery photos often show a throw or blanket draped artistically over the cot. Remember, this is only to show off the fabric for the photo 鈥� if you’re putting your child in the cot to sleep, in order to prevent suffocation, any blankets should be tucked in tightly around the foot end of the mattress to stop them riding up and covering the baby’s face.

In the cot

Pillows

They may look lovely propped in the corner of the cot, but, according to , a charity aiming to eradicate sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), babies shouldn’t sleep with a pillow until they’re at least two years old.听

This is because pillows increase the risk of suffocation and overheating and, like soft toys, they can also serve as footholds that enable children to climb up and fall out of the cot.听

Barker says many parents are not aware that pillows can also cause something called positional asphyxiation.听

“Even when lying flat, babies’ heads naturally tip forward due to the shape of their skull,” she says.听

“If you put a pillow under their head, it can exaggerate the angle, tipping their chin onto their chest, which can cause a slow suffocation known as positional asphyxiation.”

Soft toys/comfort items听听

According to Red Nose’s manager of health and advocacy and chief midwife Jane Wiggill, babies aged less than six months don’t explore objects in their sleeping environment. They’re also too young developmentally to take comfort from a toy or object to help them separate from their mother.听

Wiggill advises parents and caregivers to keep soft toys out of the sleeping environments of babies aged less than seven months because they may cover the nose and mouth, which interferes with breathing.听

“The risk posed by suffocation by the presence of soft objects in the baby’s sleeping environment outweighs any benefit in this age group,” she says.

Bumpers

They may make a cot look soft and safe, but bumpers can do more harm than good. A US study found that 27 children died over a 20-year period due to suffocation or strangulation related to cot bumpers.听

Wiggill warns that when babies roll for the first time, they aren’t able to roll back the other way, creating a serious danger if the bedding is too soft and bumpers are in the cot.听

“Babies can become wedged against a cot bumper and they can overheat and suffocate because their face is pressed against the soft fabric,” she says.

Sheepskins听

In nursery photos, people often use a fluffy white sheepskin to line wicker bassinets and Moses baskets.听

But while sheepskins were once promoted as beneficial to babies, they have since been linked directly to SIDS, particularly when babies are placed on them in a prone (face down or on stomach) sleep position.

Sleep pods

Sleep pods are another popular item for padding out bassinets and cots. Snuggly-looking, they’re marketed as recreating womb-like comfort.听

But babies can suffocate if their face becomes pressed against a sleep pod or positioner. US agency CPSC has reported 12 deaths over 13 years related to sleep positioners.

Wiggill says parents should remember that these products have no safety standards and manufacturers and retailers are under no obligation to ensure the products they sell are safe.

“Sleep positioners really concern me,” she says. “It’s a soft sleep surface with an inbuilt bumper 鈥� it doesn’t meet any of our criteria for safe sleep.”

Inclined sleeping surfaces听

Inclined sleeping products include reclined infant swings, some types of folding cots/bassinets, and inclined sleepers, which can be fatal.

Putting strategies in place to prevent injuries and deaths from these products is one of the ACCC’s product safety priorities in 2022鈥�23. The CPSC reported 1108 injuries and 73 deaths from January 2005 to June 2019 associated with the use of inclined sleep products. The ACCC is proposing a mandatory safety standard for infant sleeping surfaces that will include inclined sleep products, but in the meantime there are still no Australian standards that cover many of these products.

The cot or bassinet

Moses baskets

These are made of a softer, more pliable type of wicker and are commonly used for newborn babies, but there’s no Australian safety standard for Moses baskets (or bassinets in general) and 糖心Vlog’s experienced baby-product testers rarely recommend them.

“There are typically non-breathable zones on all sides, the handles can be a strangulation hazard and once your baby can roll or pull up, there’s a fall risk, especially if the basket is placed unsecured on a stand,” says 糖心Vlog head of household testing Kim Gilmour.

Wicker bassinets听

Bassinets woven from natural plant materials such as rattan or cane are a favourite among online influencers, but they carry some risks, according to Gilmour.

“You’ll need to look out for rough or jagged edges,” she says. “While they can be strong, some types of wicker may be more pliable and could cause head, limb or finger entrapment in gaps in the weave.”听

She says parents should also be aware that there’s no Australian safety standard for bassinets.听

“If you have space, a regular cot is the safest option, but if you do want a bassinet, there are a few things to look out for,” she says. “The most important is to ensure a firm, well-fitted mattress and breathable zones on all four sides.”

How to decorate your nursery safely

There are plenty of don’ts when it comes to creating a safe nursery space. But there are still lots of ways you can decorate your nursery and keep it safe for baby.

• Invest in a beautiful cot that meets Australian safety standards.
• Make a visual statement with patterned sheets and cot blankets (Red Nose recommends Sheridan Australia’s safe bedding range).
• Get creative by painting your nursery with non-toxic paint.
• Use wall decals to add personal flair.
• If you want the rustic look, use a wicker basket to store toys rather than as a sleep space for your baby.

Source: Red Nose

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