Australia’s top consumer protection watchdog has taken urgent action against four major online retail platforms, calling for the immediate removal of banned toys containing small, high-powered magnets that pose life-threatening risks to consumers, particularly young children.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) confirmed it has issued formal takedown requests to global e-commerce giants Amazon and eBay, along with Australian online retailer Kogan and global marketplace Fruugo. The targeted products include popular items such as Magnetic Chess and Magnetic Battle Chess, all of which contain the small, extremely strong magnets that have been permanently banned from sale in Australia since 2012.
This nationwide ban was implemented over well-documented safety concerns: if multiple magnets are swallowed, they can bond together through intestinal walls and digestive tissue, causing catastrophic internal damage, life-threatening complications, and even choking hazards that primarily impact young children who are most likely to put small objects in their mouths. Despite the decade-long ban, ACCC’s recent investigation discovered that these prohibited products remain readily available for purchase by Australian consumers through the major online marketplaces, prompting the regulator’s formal intervention.
“Small, high-powered magnets can cause catastrophic, life-threatening internal injuries if swallowed, particularly for young children,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe in a formal statement. “Multiple magnets can stick together in the intestine or digestive tissue. They are a choking hazard. We are extremely concerned that our investigation has detected sellers listing these banned products on online marketplaces and we urge all online marketplaces to do more to prevent listings of these products to keep consumers, especially young children, safe.”
Beyond issuing the takedown notices, the ACCC has also enforced a mandatory product safety standard that governs all toys containing these dangerous magnets to strengthen long-term consumer protection. Following the regulator’s intervention, all four targeted platforms have publicly committed to implementing immediate measures to warn consumers of the existing hazards. Amazon, Kogan, and Fruugo have gone a step further, agreeing to offer full refunds to any Australian customers who have already purchased these banned products.
For consumers who currently own these magnet-containing toys, Lowe issued a clear urgent advisory: “We are urging consumers who have bought this type of product to stop using them immediately, keep them out of reach of children and contact the seller for a refund.”
Lowe emphasized that online marketplaces hold a core responsibility for keeping the domestic market safe. “Online marketplaces have a critical role in preventing listings of unsafe or banned products. We are continuing to engage with online marketplaces to ensure affected customers are contacted and warned about the risks and that adequate steps are taken to prevent future listings of these products,” she added. The ACCC’s ongoing engagement with the platforms aims to close the regulatory gap that allowed banned dangerous products to remain accessible to Australian families.