The Wiggles have admitted that they ‘likely breached’ consumer law by selling merchandise without sufficient safety warnings.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the beloved children’s group sold their Emma Bow headbands ‘without mandatory safety warnings required for products containing button batteries’.
The consumer watchdog’s findings state that the Emma Bow headbands light up and are powered by button batteries, which are a swallowing hazard to young children.
The likely breach occurred between June 2022 and March 2024 due to the fact that The Wiggles Holdings Pty Ltd sold the headbands without the warnings required.
It was stated that 3164 headbands were sold within that timeframe, and a further 600 headbands were supplied to other third-party retailers by distributor CA Australia.
‘The Emma Bow was aimed for children’s use and was available at The Wiggles’ live concerts,’ ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
The Wiggles have admitted that they ‘likely breached’ consumer law by selling merchandise without sufficient safety warnings
‘It was also sold by other suppliers on The Wiggles online store and through various physical retail stores.
‘Without a warning on the product, parents may not have known it contained button batteries and not understood the severity of the risk.
Ms Lowe continued: ‘If swallowed, a button battery can become stuck in a child’s throat and result in catastrophic injuries, and even death, in as little as two hours.’
The Wiggles and CA Australia recalled the product and a recall notice was published on the ACCC website on August 1 2024.
As part of its co-operation with the watchdog, The Wiggles have committed to produce an episode of the podcast Wiggle Talk – A Podcast For Parents, discussing the recall of the headband as well as safety issues related to button batteries.
A spokesperson for the Wiggles told the ABC that children’s safety was always paramount.
‘At The Wiggles, the safety and wellbeing of children and families is always our highest priority. We want every parent and carer to feel complete confidence in any product bearing The Wiggles name,’ they said.
‘The Wiggles are committed to ensuring that every product associated with our brand meets the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the beloved children’s group sold their Emma Bow headbands ‘without mandatory safety warnings required for products containing button batteries’
‘We will continue to take proactive steps to protect children and support Australian families in every way we can.’
It comes after The Wiggles recently settled a nasty court drama with their former CEO.
Luke O’Neill launched legal action in the Federal Court against the iconic children’s group, Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, and the group’s general counsel, Matthew Salgo, in August.
O’Neill claimed he was denied bonuses and excluded from meetings before being dismissed with no reasonable basis.
He also alleged that Field had ‘undermined him’ in front of staff, and all allegations were denied by The Wiggles.
News Corp reported in October that the parties had reached a settlement, involving a confidential payout and a non-disclosure agreement.
O’Neill’s lawyers declined to comment when asked by the publication about the settlement, which was negotiated earlier that month.
Court documents claimed that Field had questioned O’Neill’s competence and ‘undermined him’ in front of more than a dozen staff during a meeting in February.
As part of its co-operation with the watchdog, The Wiggles have committed to produce an episode of the podcast Wiggle Talk – A Podcast For Parents, discussing the recall of the headband as well as safety issues related to button batteries
O’Neill then complained to Luke Field, the blue Wiggle’s nephew and the group’s general manager, commercial, about his uncle’s behaviour in the meeting.
It came months after the chief executive complained about a different nephew being hired to work on the production of the upcoming album The Tree of Wisdom.
O’Neill also took issue with Field implementing a bonus scheme for a friend and his daughter’s boyfriend ‘without approval and in contrast with the usual employee bonus scheme,’ according to the documents.
It was also alleged that Field then took steps to reduce Mr O’Neill’s roles and responsibilities.
Formed in 1991, The Wiggles are one of Australia’s highest-earning and most beloved entertainment groups, having won multiple ARIA awards and being inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2011.
Field is the last remaining member of the original line-up, which has expanded over time.
