Visitors to the 2026 Melbourne Royal Show can enjoy showbags with confidence after Consumer Affairs Victoria completed its annual showbag safety inspections ahead of the show.
Inspectors checked more than 300 showbags and 2,500 individual items to ensure they met mandatory safety and information requirements under the Australian Consumer Law.
More than 15 items were found not to comply with safety standards or labelling requirements. These included:
- a toy grenade without warning labels that projects small parts, which could cause serious injuries including eye damage
- a drawing board with small parts that could pose a choking hazard for children under 3 years of age
- moisturisers without a full ingredients list, which is required in Australia to help protect people with allergies or sensitive skin.
All unsafe products were either fixed or removed, so families can feel confident that showbags available for sale meet mandatory standards.
Consumer Affairs Victoria will continue to monitor products during the show, with inspectors visiting stallholders to check ongoing compliance. Inspectors can seize unsafe products and issue on-the-spot fines of up to $5,000.
Serious and repeat breaches of the product safety laws may lead to court action and penalties of up to $2.5 million for individuals and $100 million for companies.
Consumer Affairs Victoria Director Nicole Rich said inspectors have been working with the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria for nearly four decades to help ensure showbags are safe for everyone.
‘We know showbags are a highlight of the Melbourne Royal Show for many families, and our inspections help give visitors confidence that the products on sale are safe.’
If you’re concerned about the safety of a product you’ve seen or bought, please call us on 1300 55 81 81.
To see a short video about the inspections, visit our YouTube page.