Kmart issues urgent recall for household gel packs containing fatal chemical
Kmart has issued an emergency recall of a widely used household item sold in-store and online that is widely used during heatwaves and to treat minor injuries.
In a statement, Kmart warned that Anko’s Small Gel Pak (42010777) and Large Gel Pak (42010784) may contain ethylene glycol.
The substance may cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps when consumed.
Severe poisoning can cause brain, heart or kidney damage and be fatal.
“If packaging is damaged, ethylene glycol may leak out,” the recall notice said.
“The products were found to contain ethylene glycol, which is highly toxic.”
Affected products can be identified by numbers printed in white text next to the barcode on the gel pack.
According to Kmart, the affected small gel pack was sold between March 18, 2014 and December 10, 2025, while the large gel pack was sold between February 11, 2014 and December 10, 2025.
“If you have any of the above products, stop using them immediately and keep them out of reach of children,” the statement said.
“Ethylene glycol can cause irreversible injury or death if swallowed.”
The item can be returned to Kmart for a full refund.
For more information, call Kmart Customer Services on 1800 124 125 between 7am and 6pm (AEST), Monday to Friday.
