Recalls at Wal-Mart: More than Just Food

Two news stories today remind us that the dangers at Wal-Mart are not limited only to what you can eat. In one case, more than 400,000 TV stands are being recalled after many of them collapsed. In the other, Wal-Mart is still selling a dangerous baby swing, despite signs in the store that tell customers it has been recalled (upon investigation, not every store had a recall notice, but all were selling the swings). After repeatedly ignoring requests to take the swings off the shelf, Wal-Mart has finally agreed to “look into it.”

Wal-Mart stores sell recalled child swing: Dangerous product still in stores weeks after government recall notice [Channel 2 TV (Denver, CO)]

Two Denver-area Wal-Mart stores have been found to be selling a baby swing that’s the subject of Consumer Product Safety Commission recall, despite one woman’s effort to alert store management to the problem.

“I am so angry that they would jeopardize the life of a child in any way or shape,” said Joann Terry.

Within the last week, she has been to two Wal-Mart stores that still had the Fisher-Price Portable Rainforest Open Top Take-Along Swing---Model number K7203--for sale. She first noticed the problem after she picked up the swing at the store at Parker and Chambers in Aurora.

“I walked down the display aisle for the baby department and found a recall notice for it,” said Terry. “I immediately put it back on the store shelf.”

Terry said she notified the store’s manager, who, she said, told her he would immediately take the swings off the shelf. Since Terry needed a swing that night, she went to another Wal-Mart, and found no recall notice there, but the same item on sale.

Today, at the Wal-Mart at Southland’s Shopping Center in Aurora, News2 found the swing on the shelf.

“I notified management twice again,” said Terry. “They’re still selling the product.”

The CPSC warning, issued May 30, says infants can shift to one side of the swing and get trapped between the frame and the seat. It can cause cuts, red marks, bumps and bruises. (See the recall notice here.) So far, Fisher-Price has received 60 reports of infants getting trapped.

“Today I came out, bought the product,” she said. She wanted proof the item was still being sold.

“It’s not fair to any baby,” Terry said. “You know, Wal-Mart touts that they care about the consumer. This [her baby] is a consumer. She may not be buying it, but she’ll be using the products they sell.”

Today, the manager on duty again told Terry the item would be removed from store shelves. Wal-Mart’s corporate office tells us they are looking into the matter, but had no other comment today.

Wal-Mart Recalling TV Stands [Channel 4 News (Detroit, MI)]

Television stands sold at Wal-Marts nationwide and Wal-Mart.com are being recalled.

Sauder Woodworking Company is recalling 414,000 T-V stands because they can collapse if the fasteners used to connect the metal legs to the lower shelf are not completely tightened during assembly.

This can cause injury risk to children and adults.

Sauder has received 43 reports of the stands collapsing. Consumers should contact Sauder for detailed instructions on checking the tightness of the fasteners.

The number is 866-218-8312.

Posted by Media Team on Thursday, July 26, 2007