ACCC commences Federal Court proceedings against City Beach over button battery breaches

Date: 7 April 2025
Source:  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has initiated proceedings in the Federal Court against Fewstone Pty Ltd, trading as City Beach, for allegedly selling products containing button batteries in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.

The case concerns the supply, offering for supply, and possession for the purpose of supply of products containing button batteries by City Beach, allegedly in contravention of ss 106–136 of Sch 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). These provisions prohibit the supply of consumer goods that do not comply with applicable safety or information standards.

It is alleged that between June 2022 and October 2024, City Beach offered for sale 70 product lines containing button batteries that failed to meet mandatory button battery standards. The ACCC also claims that City Beach supplied almost 60,000 individual non-compliant products.

The allegedly non-compliant items included novelty goods such as toys, digital notepads, keyrings, lights, and light-up Jibbitz accessories for Crocs shoes.

Mandatory button battery standards

City Beach is alleged to have failed to comply with both…