Big W sparks outrage over do-it-yourself tattoo kit on website
Aussies are outraged to discover a DIY tattoo kit for sale on a popular department store’s marketplace website.
A third-party retailer listed the kit on Big W’s website for $111, and shoppers were shocked to discover it came with needles, ink and a working tattoo gun.
Social media users were outraged by a screenshot of the beginner tattoo kit that circulated on Reddit on Wednesday.
The photo was captioned: “Big W marketplace is currently selling a tattoo kit for beginners… The intern who vetted this vendor is getting in trouble today.”
A third-party retailer listed the kit on Big W’s website for $111, with shoppers shocked to discover it came with needles, ink and a working tattoo gun
Some Reddit users were concerned that there were no age checks on the item being sold online, while others worried about the potential health risks.
‘Is there an age limit on purchasing this? I can only imagine the horror of a 14 year old boy buying one of these and trying it out on his 10 year old sister,” one social media user wrote.
Another claiming to be a tattoo artist said: ‘I’m currently reporting this to NSW Fair Trading and QLD Health.’
“The process that us tattoo artists have to jump through… we don’t need another cowboy retailer in the mix.”
Meanwhile, others joked and said they cringe when they imagine all the young people going to studios to get their DIY tattoos covered up.
In each state and territory in Australia, there are different laws that prevent anyone under the age of 18 from getting a tattoo without parental consent.
A spokesperson for Big W told Daily Mail Australia that no tattoo kits were actually sold
A spokesperson for Big W told Daily Mail Australia that no tattoo kits were actually sold.
“BIG W Market is a marketplace for trusted third-party sellers on the BIG W website,” the spokesperson said.
‘The tattoo kit was recently listed on the BIG W Market and we recognize that this product has not been properly categorized. We can confirm that we have removed it from sale and no orders have been fulfilled.”
It is understood that Big W carries out regular product reviews to ensure that the products listed meet health and safety requirements and are in line with the company’s brand values.
Some Reddit users believe that Big W, and all other major companies, should leave the market.
‘This nonsense in the market must end. I looked at Bunnings for coffee grinders but they continued to use standard coffee grinders,” one person wrote.
Another said: ‘These marketplaces can’t be good for corporate image.’
“It’s wild what comes out of this that doesn’t meet Australian standards,” a third person added.