Top safety tips for safe and happy Halloween

Halloween costumes should be fun, but it's important to make sure they're safe too. Before your child heads out trick-or-treating, there are simple steps to make sure that they come back safe and sound.

What should you consider when choosing where to buy a Halloween costume?

Buy costumes from reputable retailers. It can be hard to know who you are buying from online, so when buying from a site for the first time it’s important to do some quick research, check reviews and social media pages. If the business is based outside of Ireland or the EU, consider finding an alternative EU or Irish provider to ensure you have stronger consumer rights should an issue arise.

What safety checks should parents make before buying a Halloween costume?

• Check for the CE mark. Children’s costumes, props and accessories should have a CE mark. If there is no CE mark, don’t buy it.
• Check for loose, small parts. For children under 3, anything smaller than a €2 coin could be a choking hazard, and button batteries are especially dangerous.
• Avoid costumes with fixed cords or strings around the head, neck, or chest, as they pose a strangulation risk. Instead, look for breakaway fastenings like Velcro or snaps.

What should you do before your child wears their Halloween costume?

• Make sure the costume fits well and does not drag on the ground. Costumes that are long, loose, or have oversized accessories like beards, wigs, wings or tails, may be more likely to catch on fire.
• Pull on every area of the costume to check for any loose parts that may come off and pose a choking hazard.
• For costumes with batteries, check that the battery compartment is secure.
• If your child is wearing a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has holes large enough to allow full vision.

Learn more about children's clothes safety

What fire safety precautions should parents take on Halloween?

• Keep your child away from lit candles and open fires, especially when in Halloween costume. You can create the right atmosphere with battery-operated candles, which lower the risk of your child’s costume catching fire.
• Have your child wear normal clothes underneath their costume. This creates a vital physical barrier that protects their skin from direct heat or melting fabric if the costume catches fire.

Children should always be kept away from:

• Bonfires
• Candles
• Lit pumpkins
• Fireworks
• Matches and lighters
• Other open flames

What about homemade costumes?

We know it’s family fun to make Halloween costumes at home but be aware of key safety tips: don’t use any flammable materials, such as glue, plastic, or cotton wool and follow the same checks for choking and strangulation hazards, as you would for products bought from retailers.

What is the role of the CCPC?

Every year, CCPC product safety officers proactively inspect hundreds of products and engage with toy sellers and businesses across Ireland, both online and in stores. They also collaborate with European safety networks and Revenue Customs to identify and intercept unsafe products before they reach consumers, ensuring that dangerous toys, costumes and accessories are recalled, removed from shelves, or prevented from entering the Irish market altogether.

Where products fail to meet safety standards, CCPC officers use their statutory powers to ensure they are removed from shelves to protect consumers and prevent further risk.

What should you do if you suspect that a costume or prop is unsafe?

If you have concerns about the safety of a Halloween costume, prop, or accessory, stop using it immediately and contact the CCPC’s national consumer helpline on 01 402 5555 or use our report a product safety issue form. You should also report the issue to the manufacturer or retailer.

Where can you find more information about product safety recalls?

To keep up to date with recalls and product safety advice, follow us on Facebook or Instagram, sign up to our newsletter or check out our product recalls page.