Legal Insights

E-bikes, e-scooters and e-commerce: What you need to know about the ACCC’s 2026–27 product safety priorities

• 15 July 2026 • 4 min read

Key takeaways

E-bikes, e-scooters and other ‘e-micromobility devices’ (EMD’s) will be in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) sights in the new financial year, as it responds to the growing use and safety issues arising from the use of these products.
Speaking at the National Consumer Congress on 19 June 2026, ACCC Chair Ms Gina Cass-Gotlieb announced EMD’s will be one of the ACCC’s 4 main product safety priorities for 2026 and 2027, as well as a continuing focus on digital markets, updates to mandatory safety standards and (of course) the safety of products used by young children.
Given the ACCC’s growing focus on EMD’s, all businesses that sell EMD’s or products containing lithium-ion or button batteries should be extra vigilant to ensure that their products comply with the relevant standards.

E‑micromobility devices – a new product safety priority

In the coming year, the ACCC will prioritise safety risks associated with e-bikes, e-scooters and other EMD’s, recognising their rapid uptake and growing role in everyday transport, as well as the corresponding increase in consumer injuries and fatalities caused by these devices. Ms Cass Gotlieb said the ACCC will not just focus on accidents involving these products, but also on the risks associated with the lithium-ion batteries that power the devices, including fire hazards. This focus forms part of a broader government push for the ACCC and Treasury to develop nationally consistent standards for EMD’s in the context of the work being performed by other regulators and agencies regarding road rules and other transport policies. The ACCC’s focus in this space will be on:

advocating for appropriate speed and power limits;
lithium-ion battery safety risks; and
the provision of clearer information requirements for consumers.

Ongoing product safety priorities: mandatory product safety standards, online marketplaces and the safety of young children

The ACCC will continue to focus on three of its 2025-2026 product safety priorities for the new financial year:

Modernisation of mandatory safety standards

Building on its review of the mandatory safety standard framework commenced last year, the ACCC will continue to identify relevant international standards for incorporation into safety and information standards under the Australian Consumer Law. By modernising the mandatory safety standard framework, the ACCC aims to ensure that Australian standards align with international best practice and that businesses' compliance costs are reduced as much as possible.
Online marketplaces and supply chains

As online shopping continues to expand, the ACCC is again prioritising product safety risks in online marketplaces (particularly third‑party sellers), such as the sale of unsafe products and challenges with traceability and recalls. To address these issues, and following on from the recent take-down requests issued to Amazon, eBay, Kogan and Fruugo, the ACCC will continue to engage with online marketplaces and businesses to encourage proactive responsibility for the safety of products, and collaborate with regulators nationally and internationally and use compliance and enforcement tools as necessary. The ACCC’s focus in this area signals an expectation that online marketplaces take greater responsibility for product safety.
Safety of young children

The ACCC will maintain its long-standing focus on protecting young children from high-risk products, with a focus on compliance with button battery, toppling furniture and infant sleep product mandatory standards. The ACCC will use a combination of compliance and enforcement tools to address these risks and prevent harm in this area.

Enforcement trends for 2026 and concluding remarks

On the back of possibly its busiest product safety year ever (in 2024-2025), the ACCC’s enforcement activity in the 2025-2026 financial year was consistent with the product safety priorities that it announced in June 2025 - focused on online marketplaces, button battery compliance and children’s safety. Notably, the ACCC:

commenced its first-ever proceedings against an online marketplace, bringing Federal Court Proceedings against Amazon Australia for children’s backpacks listed on its marketplace that allegedly failed to comply with button battery mandatory safety standards;
issued take down requests to Amazon, eBay, Kogan, and Fruugo regarding the supply of banned and potentially deadly toys and games containing small high-powered magnets;
succeeded in Federal Court Proceedings against City Beach, resulting in the Court imposing a penalty of $14 million on City Beach for its supply of products that failed to comply with mandatory product safety standards; and
issued infringement notices to, and accepted enforceable undertakings from, The Wiggles and Hungry Jacks for their supply of products without the requisite button battery warnings.

Interestingly, although lithium-ion batteries were one of the ACCC’s product safety priorities for the past financial year, no enforcement action was taken in this area. However, given the ACCC has now reinforced its concerns regarding safety risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, particularly in the context of EMD’s, we expect enforcement activity to emerge in the coming year.

How prepared is your business for the ACCC’s evolving product safety agenda?

Businesses involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution or sale of e-micromobility devices, lithium-ion battery products or children's products should proactively assess their compliance with Australian product safety laws. If you would like assistance reviewing your product safety obligations or preparing for increased ACCC enforcement activity, please contact our Consumer Law team.

Consumer Markets

Christopher Marsh

Christopher specialises in competition and consumer law advice and litigation, often advising franchisors on the Franchising Code of Conduct and resolving franchisee disputes.

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Shaun Temby

Shaun has over two decades of expertise in commercial disputes, competition, and consumer law and provides strategic legal solutions to franchising and consumer markets clients.

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