The Albanese Government has acted to protect infants by permanently banning baby bottle self‑feeding devices, following safety advice from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
These products are marketed as a hands‑free feeding solution. In practice, they can leave babies unable to regulate the flow of milk or formula, creating a serious risk of choking, aspiration and suffocation.
Under the ban which takes effect from today, the following products will be prohibited:
- Devices that prop or position a bottle in an infant's mouth
- Wearable holders designed to secure a feeding bottle to an adult's body
- Flexible straw‑style systems that connect a bottle to a teat positioned in an infant's mouth
International safety authorities have linked such products to infant deaths and severe injuries. Comparable restrictions are already in place in jurisdictions including Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Families are urged to check their homes and discontinue use of any baby bottle propping devices immediately.
You can find more information about the permanent ban on the ACCC Product Safety website.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh MP
"Infants cannot speak up for their own safety. That is why governments must.
"These devices promise convenience, but they can create life‑threatening risks. Feeding time should always involve close adult supervision.
"By removing hazardous products from the market, we are strengthening consumer protections where they matter most - for Australia's youngest children."
