'Dangerous' TikTok trend sees popular Kmart toy pulled from shleves
14.02.2023A major Australian retailer appears to have buckled to safety fears after claims a cheap toy was being used in a ‘dangerous’ trend and withdrawn it from sale.
A trend of riding Anko wiggle carts from Kmart down parking building ramps blew up on at the start of February with several clips earning millions of views.
Some even posted videos of ‘wiggle cart meets’, while other inventive teens posted videos showing how to put bright lights under the carts — which in theory would make them safer.
But an online search for the product on Saturday returned a message that ‘this product is no longer available’.
A major Australian retailer appears to have buckled to safety fears after claims a cheap toy, the Anko ‘wiggle cart’, was being used in a ‘dangerous’ trend and withdrawn it from sale
Teenagers flocked to Kmart to buy the cheap toy then raced them through parking buildings, earning the ire of safety experts
Kmart workers confirmed they had been swamped by teens buying up the flimsy toy carts, which cost $29.
‘So this is the reason the Kmart I work at is getting so many calls asking about the wiggle cart! Oh my godddd,’ said Chloe on one of the video posts.
While the clips appear to show teenage boys having fairly innocent fun, a road safety expert panned their antics.
Bored Australian teens have been running wiggle cart meets
A Kmart worker said the store she worked at was overwhelmed with enquiries about the carts (pictured). As on Saturday they were not available on the Kmart online catalogue
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‘A downhill slope in itself is a bit of a question mark because once you go down a hill you can’t control the device. You’re going to hurt yourself very quickly.’
Mr White also argued truck or car drivers might not see the cart riders because they are so low to the ground and not realise it if they struck one.
But there was arguably another reason the trend was dumb, as TikTok user ‘None’ pointed out, using one to recreate the trend could be a waste a money.
‘[They have a] 50kg limit and they break easy had one used it for about 20 minutes and it broke into four pieces.’
Kmart told Daily Mail Australia a statement that it did not withdraw the product from sale. It said the product sold out and was not being re-stocked because it was a ‘clearance’ item.
‘The Wiggle Cart is designed for ages 7+ to use under adult supervision and has a listed weight capacity of 50kg,’ Kmart said in a statement.
‘We are disappointed to learn that people are misusing the product and encourage customers to follow all usage and safety instructions included on the product packaging and the Kmart website page.
‘This includes ensuring a child is wearing the proper protective helmet and clothing and to never use on the open road or near car traffic.’