Using button and coin batteries
Guidance for businesses.
Who this is for
This guidance is for businesses who manufacture, import, distribute or sell any products that use button (also known as non-lithium) or coin (also known as lithium) batteries. The type of products that use them include remote controls, car key fobs, bike lights, smaller toys, laser pointers and calculators. The guidance helps businesses understand the potential risks associated with these batteries and the actions they can take to mitigate them.
The purpose of this guidance
This guidance does not introduce any new rules or requirements for businesses. It sets out best practices businesses can implement to reduce the use of button and coin batteries to strengthen the safety of the products they manufacture or supply. Where there are no alternatives to these batteries, the guidance supports and promotes best practice in the safe use of such batteries by encouraging businesses to follow the Publicly Available Specification on Safety Requirements for Button and Coin Batteries (PAS 7055:2021).
The risks posed by button and coin batteries
Button and coin batteries can pose a severe health risk, particularly to children and pets, if inserted, swallowed or ingested. Although a child may not choke if they swallow a button or coin battery, the batteries can do serious internal damage. While any coin or button battery can pose a serious risk, coin batteries pose the most risk due to their larger size, which is typically greater or equal to 16mm in diameter. These batteries can react with saliva if lodged in the throat to create caustic soda, a chemical often used to unblock drains. This chemical reaction can burn and lead to internal bleeding, and possibly death. If a battery gets into the stomach, it can cause significant tissue damage.
There have been several recent child fatalities in the UK as a result of button or coin battery ingestion, including a two-year-old girl who died in May 2021 after swallowing batteries from a remote control. According to the Child Accident Prevention Trust, at least two children a year die as a result of swallowing lithium batteries in the UK.
How responsible businesses can reduce these risks
Producers, including manufacturers or their representatives, can take the following steps to mitigate potential risks associated with the use of button and coin batteries in consumer products. Where there are no alternatives to these batteries, there are suggested steps to make their use as safe as possible.
a) The producer should first consider whether the product needs batteries or whether it can be powered by other means.
b) If the producer is of the view that batteries are required, they should explore whether alternatives to button or coin batteries can be used.
c) If there are no viable alternatives to button or coin batteries, the producer should ensure that the product has a battery compartment that can be securely fastened, and cannot open inadvertently, to prevent a child from removing the batteries.
d) In addition to (c) the producer should make sure that there are sufficiently prominent and clear warning labels on the product, its packaging, and any instructions and/or manual provided with the product.
e) In addition to (c) and (d) the producer may want to consider adopting product innovations in battery safety in order to discourage ingestion. For example, using batteries that have been made to taste bitter which may discourage ingestion.
f) Producers are encouraged to refer to and follow PAS 7055:2021. Where there are specific product standards with more detailed requirements on the safe use of button or coin batteries such as Toys and AV Equipment, these product specific standards should be followed.
Distributors can take the following steps to mitigate potential risks associated with button and coin batteries:
g) Distributors should review whether the product follows PAS 7055:2021 unless there are specific product standards with more detailed requirements on the safe use of button or coin batteries such as toys or AV equipment.
h) Distributors should satisfy themselves that the batteries are securely fastened in the product.
i) In addition to (h) distributors should consider whether there are sufficiently prominent and clear warning labels:
- on the product (including packaging)
- at the points of sale in store
- included in product descriptions and/or images of the product when being sold online
These should alert consumers to battery hazards prior to them committing to the purchase.
Legal requirements
The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) provides the main basis for ensuring the safety of most consumer goods by placing requirements on those in the supply chain. The Regulations require producers to ensure that all products intended for or likely to be used by consumers are safe before they can be placed on the market. Distributors also have a duty of care to ensure only safe products are supplied and they must not supply products that they know or ought to know to be dangerous. Where a product is subject to other specific provisions in product safety law (for example, certain toys or electrical equipment) then those specific regulations will apply to that product.
Producers and distributors are responsible for ensuring that they are meeting their legal obligations in relation to the safety of consumer goods.
Further information
For more information on button and coin batteries safety requirements please see the free PAS 7055:2021:
To find out more about the standards that apply to toys please refer to
- BS EN IEC 62115: Electric toys: safety and for audio/video equipment
- BS EN IEC 62368-1: Audio/visual, information and communication technology equipment, Part 1: safety requirements
If you are a business and have any questions, concerns or require advice on meeting product safety requirements please contact your local Trading Standards office in the first instance: