A new security issue with Apple’s new AirTag tracker has prompted Australian retailer Officeworks to remove the new item from store shelves. The source of the information was a Reddit thread of a user’s experience when trying to purchase one. The user tried to buy AirTags but the store could not find them.
It was then that an Officeworks representative informed the user that AirTags were being removed from store shelves, citing a security risk with the availability of the small button battery. ACCC confirmed to Gizmodo AU that the product was actually removed for safety reasons.
The Apple AirTag series is temporarily unavailable for purchase from Officeworks[…] The product will not be stocked by Officeworks until further guidance is provided by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. ”- Officeworks in an email to Gizmodo
The ACCC expects Apple to comply with Australia’s new information standard, which requires warning symbols on the packaging and information in product instructions when button batteries are involved. Australia’s deadline for the information standard is 21 June 2022.
To clarify, only Officeworks has pulled AirTags off the shelves. Gizmodo AU reports that AirTags are still available from other retailers in Australia, including Apple, JB Hi-Fi and Big W.
