Despite repeated warnings from the national regulator and health authorities, popular plastic water beads toys remain on sale across Australia even though they can cause fatal blockages in a child’s intestines. The brightly coloured polymer balls sold in major retailers across Australia are often sold in packets of thousands and expand more than 100 times their original size when wet. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission raised warnings as far back as 2015 saying although the toy was marketed to children above the age of five, younger children are likely to be attracted to them. The product poses a choking hazard and can cause severe health issues.