The Wiggles 'Likely Breached' Consumer Law With Headbands Merchandise

The Wiggles admitted that they’d “likely breached” consumer law after selling battery-powered headbands as merchandise for children that failed to comply with the Button Battery Information Standard.

Australia’s consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), was provided with “a court-enforceable undertaking” from the beloved children’s group. The Wiggles have admitted to a likely breach of consumer law and have agreed to implement a “consumer law compliance program.”

The Emma Bow headbands were sold by The Wiggles Holdings Pty Ltd between June 2022 and March 2024.

The headbands are yellow and black, featuring four lights powered by button batteries. According to the ACCC, the headbands failed to comply with the Button Battery Information Standard as they were sold without the mandatory safety warnings required for products containing button batteries and the dangers these batteries can cause.

In August 2024, the headbands were recalled.

As part of their cooperation with the ACCC’s investigation, The Wiggles will share an episode of their podcast, Wiggle Talk – A Podcast For Parents, where they’ll explain the recall of the Emma Bow headband and discuss safety issues about button batteries.

“The Emma Bow was aimed for children’s use and was available at The Wiggles’ live concerts. It was also sold by other suppliers on The Wiggles online store and through various physical retail stores,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe.

Lowe added, “Without a warning on the product, parents may not have known it contained button batteries and not understood the severity of the risk.”

“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.”

Last month, The Wiggles made headlines after they joined American singer Teddy Swims on stage during his Australian tour. They also shared a teaser performance and met backstage during their appearance on the Today Show.

Last year, it was revealed that The Wiggles were Australia’s most-streamed local artists of 2024, followed by The Kid LAROI, AC/DC, Vance Joy, and RÜFÜS DU SOL. They secured the stat for a second year running.