Button Batteries

Button and coin batteries can be very dangerous if swallowed or put into the body. They can cause choking, but the biggest danger is chemical burns.

When a battery touches body fluids, a chemical reaction starts that can burn body tissues. Larger batteries can get stuck in the food pipe (oesophagus) and cause serious injury or death if not removed quickly.

Safety Guidance

After several serious incidents involving children, new safety guidance (called a PAS standard) was created. It sets out rules for how batteries and products containing them should be made, sold, and displayed. It also includes advice on safely providing battery recycling boxes in shops.

Council officers will visit stores to check if they are following these safety standards. You can read more here: www.gov.uk/government/news/opss-support-new-standard-for-battery-safety

What Retailers Should Do

In Shops

• Show clear safety information near battery displays.
• Keep batteries out of children’s reach.
• Sell batteries in child-resistant packaging with warning labels.

Examples of safety notices can be found here: www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/campaigns/ingestion-campaign/

Online

If you sell batteries or products that use them online, put clear battery safety warnings in the product description or pictures before customers buy.

Battery Disposal

If you provide a recycling or disposal box for batteries:

• Place it out of children’s reach.
• Use a lid or cover to restrict access.
• Display warning posters near the box.
• Empty the box often so it doesn’t overflow.
• Use opaque containers so batteries are not visible.
• Keep boxes in view of staff so they can be watched.

Products That Use Button Batteries
Retailers must only sell safe products. You must take care to ensure products meet safety rules.

Many household items use button or coin batteries, such as:

• Tea lights
• Torches
• Scales
• Remote controls

These products must meet the PAS standard, and toys must also follow the Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011.

To check that your products are safe:

• Battery covers should need a tool (like a screwdriver or coin) or two separate actions to open.
• Packaging should include these warnings:

“BATTERY WARNING: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN”
“If the battery compartment does not close securely, stop using the product and keep it away from children.”
“If you think a battery has been swallowed or inserted, get medical help straight away.”

• Spare or loose batteries must come in child-resistant packaging with safety information.

Information about battery ingestion symptoms should be included on the packaging or in the leaflet.