At the SDC, we are constantly on the lookout for deals and spectacular offers that will save you both time and money; however, we also understand that safety and product quality should always be of paramount importance.

Thus, if a product is reported to be of inferior quality or potentially dangerous, we will make sure to bring it to your attention - as is the case with this seemingly harmless toy from Woolworths.

A mum has recently shared an urgent warning to all shoppers after her seven-year-old son sustained a 'near fatal' injury while playing with a Woolworths-branded toy trolley she had picked up a few weeks earlier.

The Victorian mother said she purchased the Woolworths Mini Supermarket Trolley from the Warragul store in the lead-up to Christmas and had no idea of the terrifying and gruesome consequences the innocent-looking toy would bring.

The toy in question is currently listed as 'out of stock' on the Woolies website. Credit: Woolworths.

Last week, while her son was pushing the trolley around their family home, the side somehow came away from the cart, and a rounded hook pierced the skin close to his private parts – a wound that needed medical attention and had to be treated at Monash Children's Hospital.

According to the concerned mum, who spoke to a news source, the toy trolley had no security measures in place to keep it from being taken apart by children.

'There is nothing holding them together, and children can take them apart when they please – completely unsafe,' she explained.

The mother recalled that the entire family had been deeply affected by the traumatic experience, describing it as an unspeakably difficult situation.

She went on to express the emotional turmoil and guilt that she felt as a parent, not being able to protect her child from the physical and emotional pain caused by the faulty toy.

'I was upset I couldn't protect him from the pain and embarrassment he felt,' she said.

A seven-year-old required hospitalisation after being injured by a seemingly harmless toy from Woolies. Credit: Pixabay.

In a Facebook post, the mother urged other parents to exercise caution and refrain from allowing their children to play with the toys in question.

'Do not buy these - or if you already own them, take them back or throw them out,' she said, emphasising the importance of ensuring the safety of children and the responsibility of parents to take necessary measures to prevent such incidents from occurring.

'I want to warn other parents, so other children don't go through what my son has gone through.' She also urged for greater accountability from manufacturers and retailers to ensure the safety of their products.

After the incident was brought to light, a Woolworths representative confirmed to the news source that the supermarket was investigating the case and had apologised to the woman.

'We can understand how this is concerning for the little boy's mother,' the spokesperson said.

'We have spoken to the customer and apologised for what occurred. As a result, we have asked the customer to return the trolley to her local store, and we will be able to complete an internal investigation into the product.'

Key Takeaways

• A mother has called on Woolworths to pull its Woolworths Mini Supermarket Trolley from stores after her son sustained a 'near fatal' injury while using the trolley that was purchased from a local store.
• The mother explained that the rounded hook from the trolley pierced her son's skin close to his private parts, and he had to be rushed to the hospital via ambulance.
• She is warning other parents not to let their children play with the toy, as it has the potential to cause serious injury.
• Woolworths has responded and asked for the customer to return the trolley to their local store for further investigation.

Quality Control Standards for Toys in Australia

Despite the incident described in this article, product safety standards and quality control regulations are properly enforced in Australia to prevent injuries and ensure safety when using certain products.

The mandatory safety standard in Australia applies to all new products and toys available for children and outlines the necessary safety tests and checks that must be undertaken before supplying them to the public.

Each product must also meet at least one of the standards and be labelled with a Consumer Product Safety Standard (CPSS) label.

Australian and New Zealand toy safety standards are set by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and all manufacturers and suppliers must comply with these standards to ensure the safety of the toys.

Products and toys must meet a variety of standards, including electrical and flammability standards, as outlined on the ACCC website. The regulations also require manufacturers and retailers to test the labelling and warning statements on the product surface to ensure safety when using certain products.

There are high standards of quality and safety expected when manufacturing and supplying children's products. Credit: Polesie Toys.

Members, we urge you to always be mindful of the toys and items you buy for your grandchildren, their friends, and even younger ones in the family; because accidents like this can happen even with toys seemingly fit for babies and toddlers – as strange and cruel as it sounds.

As we said at the start of the article, our first priority should be safety and quality, and this applies to all situations, not just toys. Keep alert and be careful!

 

[Penny4]

That mini trolley is very cute!
It was such bad luck that it came apart & injured the boy. Often crazy things happen.

 

[Macarj]

It's hard to believe that toy passed safety inspection
Even real trolleys are inspected before release

 

[Nana Zorak]

That mini trolley is very cute!
It was such bad luck that it came apart & injured the boy. Often crazy things happen.

Funny how so many of us have survived by not having these safety measures when we were young. We played with sticks & climbed trees with abandon & we learned to judge for ourselves what was safe & what was not. Today children are kept wrapped in cotton wool & never have to learn about trusting themselves because mummy does all the protecting. They don't even like having to go outside because it means leaving the safety of their electronic devices behind. What a namby-pamby lot they will be when they eventually grow up if they ever do!

 

[Maurie7]

Funny how so many of us have survived by not having these safety measures when we were young. We played with sticks & climbed trees with abandon & we learned to judge for ourselves what was safe & what was not. Today children are kept wrapped in cotton wool & never have to learn about trusting themselves because mummy does all the protecting. They don't even like having to go outside because it means leaving the safety of their electronic devices behind. What a namby-pamby lot they will be when they eventually grow up if they ever do!

Exactly, to many kids get wrapped up in cotton wool nowadays.