Hungry Jack’s has just been hit with a record fine of $150,240. The basis for this fine is the company’s breach of Australian Consumer Law by issuing toys that included hazardous button batteries. Her tragic recent death on the Sunshine Coast, after the four-year-old was hit by a wayward vehicle, has propelled her story into the national spotlight. She passed away in 2013 after accidentally swallowing one of these batteries. Lithium button batteries are roughly the size of a dime and can be deadly to children if ingested. They have been prescribed to burn holes through the esophagus and to melt vital organs or the spine.
In May 2022 alone, Hungry Jack’s handed out 27,850 Garfield toys powered by these dangerous batteries in just a ten-day span! While the toys met national safety standards, health advocates say that doesn’t eliminate the dangers. After an outcry over their safety, the fast-food chain has announced a recall for the toys. Fears for their safety and about the harm these toys could cause to unsuspecting children remain.
Health Risks of Button Batteries
The dangers posed by button batteries have been emphasized by health experts, particularly Susan Teerds, chief executive of Kidsafe Queensland. She explained that if parents don’t know right off that a battery has been ingested, it may take time before symptoms appear.
“Just because a product has a screw-down battery compartment, it doesn’t mean that it is still a safe product,” – Susan Teerds
Teerds further went on to liken these batteries to “a loaded gun,” furthering expressing the urgency of the issue at hand. She urged families to keep button batteries out of their homes entirely, stating, “I would avoid any products with button batteries if you’ve got children or dogs in your household.”
The potential for severe harm is alarming. Teerds cautioned that it’s only a matter of time before another innocent child pays with their life for swallowing these batteries. It’s retribution, pure and simple.
Advocacy and Legislative Changes
The campaign to get dangerous button batteries out of circulation has gained remarkable momentum, thanks in large part to Andrea Shoesmith, mother of the late Summer Steer. Since her daughter’s heartbreaking passing, Shoesmith has become an incredibly forceful advocate. She is now at the helm of advocacy efforts to have these explosive batteries banned from consumer products across Australia. Her tireless advocacy resulted in critical battery safety legislation passed into law in 2023 to protect children from battery-associated dangers.
“There will be some child that gets sick or dies from it, like Summer,” – Andrea Shoesmith
Shoesmith’s testimony expresses her understandable horror at how widespread button batteries are found in items we use on a daily basis. She was shocked at how many toys Hungry Jack’s gave out. She reiterated that the likelihood of a second child being injured is drastically increased.
“If they’ve given out 27,000 of them, don’t tell me there’s not going to be one child affected by it, because there will be,” – Andrea Shoesmith
Legal Consequences for Hungry Jack’s
Hungry Jack’s is facing a growing backlash from health advocates and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. In short, they did not adequately warn consumers of the risks of button batteries present in their toys. The nearly quarter-of-a-billion-dollar fine imposed on the fast-food giant serves as a reminder of the magnitude of this mistake. No longer can companies put profit in front of safety.
Australian authorities are ensuring they have the penalties necessary to keep children safe from unsafe consumer products. One of their goals is to increase awareness about the dangers of button batteries.
