ACCC files against Dusk over non-compliant button batteries

The ACCC has launched Federal Court proceedings against Dusk Australasia for selling 66,453 button-battery products across 29 lines between May 2023 and December 2024 that allegedly breached mandatory button battery safety and information standards. Items included candles, diffusers, tealights, snow globes and other LED products, many with Christmas, Easter or Halloween themes and potentially attractive to young children. The ACCC alleges 25 product lines were not tested for compliance before sale, and four lines failed to include mandatory warnings about button batteries, even though subsequent testing showed the products met safety requirements. The regulator says failing to test before supply creates an unacceptable safety risk for children, a point emphasized by ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe. The ACCC also cites a prior court-enforceable undertaking from April 2023, under which Dusk paid penalties of $106,560 after similar non-compliant Halloween-themed products. The regulator stresses that compliance with the button battery standards is a enforcement priority and notes the undertaking breach as part of the ongoing action.