Need to know
- Easter is a popular time to buy chocolates, sweets, showbag toys and travel and entertainment products
- Beware of potentially dangerous items, including dodgy plush toys or products with button batteries, often promoted during this period
- Regulators are taking action, but there are strategies you can also adopt to better protect yourself and loved ones these holidays
Chocolate may be the most commonly spruiked item at Easter, but retailers tend to also stock a huge variety of themed toys, home decor, craft and novelty items in an attempt to cash in on the seasonal holiday.
It's also a time when more than a few of us are snapping up showbags stuffed with novelty knick knacks and buying various travel and entertainment products to see us through the holiday period.
This means there's a lot that can go wrong and Easter favourites haven't been immune from previous safety scandals.
With research showing Australians tend to think we're more protected from dangerous products than we really are, we've got tips on how to stay safe this Easter.
Easter items not always safe
Previous years have seen several Easter products called out for being unsafe.
A line of bunny plush toys that posed a choking hazard to young children, and chocolate eggs and hot cross buns potentially contaminated with plastic and glass, are among the cases that have emerged since 2020.
With Easter a perennially popular period for fun with family and friends, other items we often turn to at these times have also had their share of issues.
The first few months of this year have already seen several light-up novelty toys labelled risky for not meeting button battery safety standards.
The first few months of this year have already seen several light-up novelty toys labelled risky for not meeting button battery safety standards
Other holiday staples including beach tents, outdoor chairs and travel mugs have also been recalled from shelves since January.
Easter is also a time when parts of New South Wales and Queensland host local agricultural shows, and the Royal Easter Show is held in Sydney. Showbags are a must-have for many at these events, but these have been found to contain unsafe toys in the past.
Australians overestimating product protections
We've found Australians tend to believe we're better protected from dangerous products than we really are.
Last year, a CHOICE survey* of over 1000 households found three quarters believed businesses are legally required to make sure the products they sell are safe before making them available to consumers.
This isn't the case – currently, only some products have to be checked by suppliers to ensure they meet national mandatory safety standards before they're sold in Australia.
Other products, including toys deemed to pose a significant suffocation risk or items made with harmful materials, are banned from our shelves altogether.
How to avoid dangerous products at Easter
Various toys and novelty travel products have been deemed unsafe over the last year. Image: Product Safety
It's worth knowing that while Australia may not require safety testing for all products before they're sold, there are established processes in place for withdrawing a product from sale if it turns out to be dangerous.
The ACCC's Product Safety arm regularly manages recalls of these items and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) issues similar alerts for dubious foodstuffs.
And protections are improving – previous work by CHOICE has helped result in new safety measures, such as those for button batteries, being added to Australia's raft of mandatory standards.
Authorities also often scrutinise products more closely at Easter events. For example, state consumer affairs agencies regularly conduct inspections of showbags, removing items and warning vendors when non-compliant products are found.
Sydney's Easter Show – one of Australia's largest agricultural shows – has been the target of previous sweeps by NSW Fair Trading.
The agency tells CHOICE the same checks will be taking place at this year's event, with every type of showbag on offer being inspected to ensure none contain any unpleasant surprises.
Still, it's useful to get familiar with ways you can stay safe while buying and using products at this time of year:
- Stay across the latest product recalls and safety warnings for food, toys and other items from Product Safety and FSANZ. Following these organisations on social media or signing up to their emails is an easy way to keep an eye on updates.
- If an item contains button batteries, make sure they're properly secured and difficult for young hands to remove. These small batteries can be deadly to children if swallowed and we've seen products missing important features designed to help prevent kids accessing them.
- Avoid buying children's toys, baby safety items and electronics from cheap overseas websites. We've seen many of these items fail Australian safety standards.
- Learn how to spot a fake review. These can be used to spruik dodgy products.
- Beware of using AI (artificial intelligence) such as ChatGPT for product suggestions. Popular chatbots have recommended goods we've found to be unsafe.
- Check which products are banned in Australia to ensure you don't end up with any items deemed to pose serious risk of injury, illness or death.
- Keep up to date with CHOICE reviews and our regular rundowns of products to avoid to stay informed of any unsafe items.
CHOICE calling for new safety requirements
For years, CHOICE has been calling for a "general safety provision" covering all products sold in Australia.
This would make it illegal for retailers to sell unsafe items and place obligations on businesses to ensure that all products are safe before they're sold.
*CHOICE Consumer Pulse September 2024 is based on an online survey designed and analysed by CHOICE. 1024 Australian households responded to the survey with quotas applied to ensure coverage across all age groups, genders and locations in each state and territory across metropolitan and regional areas. The data was weighted to ensure it is representative of the Australian population based on the 2021 ABS Census data. Fieldwork was conducted from 5–18 September 2024.
We're on your side
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about CHOICE membership today
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
