Recalls: Toys
Squeeze Me Bear Toy Animals Recalled by Atlanta Novelty NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 3, 1980 Release # 80-041 "Squeeze Me Bear" Toy Animals Recalled To Eliminate Safety Hazards WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 3) -- A children's stuffed animal sold nationwide as the "Squeeze Me Bear" is being recalled by the importer in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission because the toy may present safety hazards which could injure young children. An estimated 53,000 Squeeze Me Bears have been sold since 1979 at retail Prices averaging from $7 to $8 each. The toy bears were manufactured in Taiwan and distributed to various toy stores and other retail outlets by the Atlanta Novelty Co. of Long Island City, New York. The potentially hazardous toys bear the product code number of either 291 or 298. Testing by CPSC of a random sample of the bears showed that one of the bears contained a potentially hazardous sharp wire in the stuffing, leading CPSC staff to believe that a significant portion of the other Squeeze Me Bears in stores and consumers homes also may contain such wires; a similar recall of another importer's brand of stuffed animals was initiated less than a month ago. The potential danger lies in the possibility that the wire may work its through the bear's fur. So far there have been no injuries reported to CPSC. In addition, during CPSC testing which simulated normal use and abuse of the toy by a young child, some noses of the bears fell off, thus posing a potential choking hazard to young children. Accordingly, these stuffed toys have been determined to be "banned hazardous substances" under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Consumers are being urged to return their Squeeze Me Bears to the retailer where the toy was purchased for a full refund. The distributor will alert each of its customers to the hazards and the procedures to be followed in carrying out the recall. The distributor has ceased making further shipments of this stuffed toy. Read more.
Pot Belly Toy Animals Recalled by Daekor NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 1980 Release # 80-039 Millions Of "Pot Belly" Toy Animals Being Recalled To Eliminate Safety Hazards WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 31) -- The highly popular "Pot Belly" line of children's stuffed animals is being recalled by the importer in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission because the toys may present hazards which could injure young children. More than five million of the five different types of "Pot Bellies" have been sold nationwide in a variety of sizes since late in 1978. Pot Bellies are distributed to more than 2,800 toy stores, department stores and other retailers by the Daekor division of Hudson Brands, Ltd., of New York City. CPSC has received a number of consumer complaints of small wires protruding from the toy animals; however, there have been no reports of serious injuries to date. Testing by CPSC revealed that a substantial percentage of the toys tested contained sharp wires in the stuffing. When tested under the terms of a CPSC regulation designed to prevent children under the age of three years from swallowing and choking on small parts of toys, some of the Pot Bellies failed the test. Accordingly, these stuffed toys -- until inspected by the importer to ensure their safety -- have been determined to be "banned hazardous substances" under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Once inspected and found free of wires, the toys may be distributed. CPSC also discovered through testing that the "bean bag" variety of smaller Pot Bellies presents another hazard in addition to the potential presence of small wires. The bottoms of bean bag Pot Bellies are stuffed with crushed walnut shells which could be swallowed by children if the toy animals come apart at the seams (as some did during the CPSC testing). Consumers are being urged to return their Pot Belly stuffed animals to the retailer where the toy was purchased for a full refund or replacement. Pot Bellies have been sold at retail prices ranging from $8 to $30, depending on their size. Refunds only are being offered to consumers who return bean bag Pot Bellies to the retailer. (The importer also has distributed about 5,000 large Pot Belly koala bears and brown bears which are not being subjected to the ban or the recall. These 40-inch-long bears were manufactured by a Brooklyn, N.Y., company which used a different stuffing material.) Hudson Brands will alert each retailer to the hazards and the procedures to be followed in carrying out the recall and inspection program, and also will inspect all further shipments of these toy animals to ensure that there are no wires in the stuffing. Read more.
