Hungry Jack's fined $150,000 over Garfield toy included in children's meals that did not have safety warning
Hungry Jack's has paid $150,000 in penalties over a button battery-powered Garfield toy it allegedly served without the proper safety warnings.
The fast-food giant gave away close to 28,000 of the plastic 'Burping Garfield' toys with its children's meals sold nationwide between May 20 and May 30 last year.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said the toy itself met safety standards but alleged customers were not warned they contained 'dangerous' button batteries nor given advice about what to do if a child ingested one.
Hungry Jack's was issued with eight infringement notices for alleged breaches of Australian consumer law.
The consumer watchdog said it had since accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Hungry Jack's 'in which it admitted the Garfield toy is likely to have failed to comply with the button battery information standard'.
The ACCC said button batteries can result in 'catastrophic injuries and even death in as little as two hours' if swallowed.
'Button batteries are extremely dangerous for young children and, tragically, children have been seriously injured or died from swallowing or ingesting them,' ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.
'The ACCC continues to see non-compliant products on the market which pose unacceptable safety risks to vulnerable young children.
'We take non-compliance with these important standards seriously and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate.'
The fast-food chain has recalled the toy and consumers can return it for a replacement which does not contain a battery.
'Hungry Jack's implemented immediate steps to stop distribution, issue a product recall and address the situation with the supplier and the appropriate authorities,' Hungry Jack's told 7NEWS.com.au in a statement.
The ACCC has kept up the charge to ensure button battery standards are maintained.
In April it was revealed it had taken popular surf and skate retailer City Beach to court over the alleged sale and supply of close to 60,000 non-compliant products including toys, mini games and digital notepads.
Tesla, Repco, Supercheap Auto, The Reject Shop and Dusk have copped big penalties in the last two years following probes by the watchdog.
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