Australia has permanently banned products marketed as “hands-free” feeding solutions for parents, after safety authorities warned they pose serious risks of injury and death to infants.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that baby bottle self-feeding devices can no longer be manufactured, sold, supplied, or advertised anywhere in the country.
The nationwide ban came into effect this week following years of safety concerns and investigations into products linked to infant deaths overseas.
The banned products are designed to allow babies to feed without a caregiver holding the bottle. They include bottle-propping devices that keep a bottle in an infant’s mouth, wearable bottle holders attached to a person’s body, and flexible tube-style feeding systems connected to bottles.
According to the ACCC, these products create serious safety risks because infants are unable to control the flow of milk or remove feeding devices on their own.
Catriona Lowe said the products “pose an unacceptable risk of injury or death” because of hazards including choking, suffocation, and aspiration.
Health experts have also raised concerns beyond immediate choking dangers, warning that self-feeding systems may increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia and ear infections if milk continues flowing when a child cannot swallow properly.
Although no infant deaths linked to these products have been reported in Australia, overseas incidents influenced the decision.
Safety authorities identified several infant fatalities connected to self-feeding devices in the United States and the United Kingdom, leading to restrictions in countries such as Canada and Ireland.
The regulatory process began with a safety warning issued in August 2024, followed by a proposal for a permanent ban earlier this year before the restriction was officially introduced nationwide.
Andrew Leigh said the government acted on expert advice to protect infants from avoidable harm.
The ACCC has urged parents who already own these products to stop using them immediately and dispose of them safely to prevent reuse or resale. Retailers and suppliers that continue to sell the banned products could face significant penalties under Australian consumer laws.
Authorities also highlighted the increasing challenge of regulating products sold through online marketplaces and overseas third-party sellers, where unsafe niche products can still enter the market.