Exclusive: More than 500 unsafe toys and items have been seized from the Melbourne Royal Show by Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Out of more than 300 vendors at the event, one has been identified as selling products that could be non-compliant, and potentially deadly.
They include light-up butterfly wings, headbands, and wands all featuring accessible button batteries.
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”If they are swallowed, they can quickly burn through your esophagus and cause serious injury or even death, so it’s a very serious matter,” Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Nicole Rich said.
Other items include light-up alien toys without the correct safety labelling, and yo-yo water balls which pose a strangulation risk.
Consumer Affairs Victoria has been conducting inspections to ensure the show is safe.
Its team made the discovery on Wednesday and by yesterday, the Melbourne Royal Show removed the vendor from the grounds.
“It is really disappointing when we do, unfortunately, see something like this, where a trader hasn’t done the right thing and is selling clearly dangerous products to people,” Rich said.
Anyone who may have purchased any of the items has been urged to remove them and make sure their children are not playing with them.
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“It’s not a position that we want to be in, but the absolute priority for us is the safety of our families and children attending the show,” Melbourne Royal Show manager Hannah von Bibra said.
“We have not been alerted to any other non-compliance so we’re really comfortable and confident that families can still come along to the show and have a safe and wonderful enjoyment time here.”
Melbourne Royal Show says the vendor won’t be allowed back next year
Consumer Affairs Victoria is still considering further punishment.
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