More than 60 products sold by City Beach on 54,000 occasions violated button battery safety laws, the Federal Court of Australia has ruled.

Between June 2022 and October 2024, the court found that Fewstone, trading as retailer City Beach, sold products containing button batteries that did not meet Australian Consumer Law standards around battery safety and information. The products included toys, digital notepads, keyrings, lights and light-up Jibbitz accessories for Crocs shoes.

During this period, City Beach supplied the non-compliant button battery products on more than 54,000 occasions.

The court reserved its decision on penalties and costs.

“We brought this case because we believed the wide array of non-compliant products sold by City Beach exposed consumers to unacceptable safety risks,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chair, Catriona Lowe, said.

“Button batteries are incredibly dangerous for young children, and compliance with Australia’s button battery safety and information standards is critical.”

The court ordered City Beach to implement a consumer law compliance program and recall the products in question.

“This decision by the court should send a strong warning to retailers and manufacturers that supply of consumer goods powered by button batteries which do not comply with the standards risk enforcement action by the ACCC,” Lowe added.

This was the first proceeding to be brought by the ACCC for an alleged breach of the button battery safety standards.