Big W sparks outrage over do-it-yourself tattoo kit on website

Aussies are furious after discovering a DIY tattoo kit for sale on the marketplace website of a popular department store.

A third-party retailer listed the kit on Big W’s website for $111, with customers dismayed to find it comes 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 beginner tattoo kit… The intern who researched this vendor is in trouble today.’

Some Reddit users were concerned that there was no age control for the item being sold online, while others worried about the potential health risks.

‘Is there an age limit to buy 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 who claimed to be a tattoo artist said: ‘I am currently reporting this to NSW Fair Trading and QLD Health.’

‘The process we tattooers have to jump through… we don’t need another cowboy dealer in the mix.’

Meanwhile, others joked that they cringe at the thought of all the youngsters going to studios to cover up their DIY tattoos.

In all states and territories, there are different laws that prevent anyone under 18 from getting a tattoo without parental permission in Australia.

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 BIG W Market and we acknowledge that this product was not categorized correctly. We can confirm that we have removed it from sale and no orders have been fulfilled.’

It is understood that Big W regularly carries out product reviews to ensure that the products listed comply with health and safety requirements and are consistent with the company’s brand values.

Some Reddit users believe that Big W, and all the other big companies, should ditch the marketplace.

‘This marketplace crap has to end. I looked at Bunnings for grinders and it kept defaulting on coffee grinders,’ one person wrote.

Another said: ‘These marketplaces can’t be good for the company’s image.’

“It’s crazy what comes through these that don’t meet Australian standards,” added a third person.