A 245,124-piece light-up toy recall expanded over accessible button batteries

A federal safety recall has expanded to cover about 245,124 battery-powered light-up toys sold for children. The problem is not the lights themselves but the button-cell batteries inside: children can reach the batteries because the compartments do not meet the mandatory safety standard. The September action nearly doubled the population already covered and added several recognizable party favors and wearable toys.

Five Light-Up Toys Added to the ZMC Recall

The expansion covers a 19.4-inch Mexican-flag-themed light-up stick, a light-up unicorn headband, two kinds of light-up jelly rings, and a light-up heart balloon flower. The corresponding item numbers are SS041-M, G02-UN, PS270, PS271, and 777-1. Packaging labels may also identify ZMC Group as the distributor and show manufacturing or batch information.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission notice lists each product and item number with photographs. Matching by item number is safer than relying on color alone, especially for the jelly rings, which were sold in assorted and transparent versions.

Why Accessible Button Batteries Triggered the Action

Each recalled toy contains small batteries that can be reached by a child. Swallowing a button or coin battery can cause internal chemical burns and can be fatal, which is why the agency treats an unsecured battery compartment as a serious hazard even when a toy otherwise appears intact. The September notice reported no incidents or injuries.

The recall is preventive. A lack of reported injuries does not make an accessible battery acceptable, and an adult’s ability to close a compartment does not establish that it meets the children’s-toy standard. The relevant condition is whether a child can gain access during reasonably expected handling of the product.

How 245,124 Relates to the Earlier Recall

The published total is the expanded count, not the number of newly added toys. ZMC Group had previously recalled about 124,560 battery-operated light-up toys on May 7, 2026. Those earlier units are included in the new total of about 245,124, so adding the two figures together would substantially overstate the scope.

The revised count matters because households that checked the May notice may still own a product added in September. The second check should focus on the five newly listed item numbers while preserving any action already taken for an item covered by the original campaign. Recall 26-766 is the identifier for the expanded action.

The Refund and Disposal Steps

The CPSC directs consumers to stop using the recalled toys immediately, remove them from children, and contact ZMC Group for a full refund. The process requires removal of the batteries, marking the product with “RECALLED” or a large “X” in permanent marker, and sending the company a photograph of the disposed toy. ZMC Group accepts recall requests by email at [email protected].

Battery disposal is a separate safety step. The agency says button cells should be disposed of or recycled under local hazardous-waste procedures rather than left loose in household trash where a child could retrieve them. The photographed product is part of the refund documentation; the loose batteries still require safe handling after removal.

Where the Toys Were Sold

The affected products were sold at Diva at Heart, primarily in California, Texas, Oregon, Mississippi, and Arizona, as well as through other distributors, retail stores, and online. The sales period ran from October 2018 through July 2026. That long window makes old party supplies, costume accessories, and toy bins reasonable places to check.

A product that resembles one of the photographs but lacks a readable label should be compared with the dimensions and design shown in the federal notice. ZMC Group can address uncertain matches before a product is discarded. The recall applies to the listed ZMC items, not every battery-powered light-up ring, headband, wand, or foam stick on the market.

The Exact Item Number Controls

The fastest review starts with the product type and ends with the printed item number. SS041-M identifies the Mexican-flag foam stick, G02-UN the unicorn headband, PS270 and PS271 the two jelly-ring products, and 777-1 the heart balloon flower. A match calls for immediate removal from children and completion of the refund instructions.

The expanded recall combines a large total with a short, concrete identification list. That combination makes the response manageable: check the five item numbers, keep any matching toy and its batteries away from children, and use the current CPSC instructions for documentation, disposal, and reimbursement.

The five item numbers also keep the expansion from becoming an open-ended warning about every illuminated children’s product. A foam stick from another distributor or a jelly ring with a different identifier is not automatically part of recall 26-766. Uncertain products can be set aside from children while the label and federal photographs are checked, preserving safety without misrepresenting the announced scope.

Households may encounter more than one affected piece because rings and party favors were sold as inexpensive novelty items. Each matching toy should be counted and documented during the refund process. Removing batteries from one piece does not resolve another matching item left in a costume box, gift bag, or event-supply container, so the product check should cover stored extras as well as toys currently in use.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

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