Panda Mart Shut Down After Alarming Safety Breaches
So, here’s what’s happening right now with discount retailer Panda Mart , and it’s honestly pretty shocking. An urgent court order has forced the stores in Victoria to shut their doors for 72 hours after inspectors uncovered hundreds of illegal and unsafe products sitting right on the shelves.
This ban kicked in at 9am today, and it applies specifically to the Cranbourne and Preston locations. These two stores were found carrying all kinds of concerning items — and not just minor compliance issues. We’re talking about candles containing flammable material right next to the wick , toys with unsecured button batteries, products small enough to create choking hazards, and even flotation devices that had no proper warnings. Basically, items that should never be sold in their current form because they pose real risks to shoppers.
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What makes this more frustrating for authorities is that Panda Mart had already been warned earlier in the year. Back in September, inspectors checked the Preston store and found that most products met safety standards, especially after a warning was issued to the Cranbourne shop. For a moment, it looked like the retailer had corrected its course. But during a more recent inspection, those same shelves were found packed once again with banned or non-compliant products.
Consumer Affairs Victoria director Nicole Rich expressed clear disappointment, saying it’s alarming to see the retailer shift from compliance to restocking products that can seriously endanger customers. She pointed out that flammable candles, unsecured button batteries, and small choking-hazard toys are well-known killers , and every business has the responsibility to make sure their products are safe. Ignorance, she said, simply isn't an excuse.
During this 72-hour closure, inspectors will be going through every aisle, identifying, seizing, and removing anything that doesn’t meet mandatory safety or information standards. And the penalties for breaches like these are no small matter. Businesses face fines of up to $50 million , while individuals can be hit with fines of up to $2.5 million .
For context, Panda Mart began more than a decade ago in South Africa and has since expanded to South America, the US, and New Zealand. They entered Australia offering more than 28,000 low-cost homeware products, many sourced from wholesale markets in China. But now, the spotlight is firmly on their compliance practices.
So for now, Victoria’s two Panda Mart stores remain closed as authorities make sure nothing dangerous gets back onto those shelves. This incident is a strong reminder that even budget retailers must play by the rules — safety standards exist for a reason, and cutting corners puts people at real risk.
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