CR calls on parent company Mattel to put infant safety first and offer full refunds, not vouchers
WASHINGTON, D.C. —The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced that Fisher-Price is recalling about 71,000 inclined sleeper accessories sold with its Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards.
A Consumer Reports investigation into the safety of another Fisher-Price product—the Rock ’n Play Sleeper, a product designed and marketed for babies to sleep on an incline—found that it is tied to at least 32 infant deaths. Fisher-Price and its parent company Mattel announced a recall of all 4.7 million of these sleepers on April 12.
Today’s CPSC announcement said the play yard’s sleeper accessory presents a safety hazard as “[i]nfant fatalities have been reported while using other inclined sleep products.” Inclined sleep products overall have been tied to at least 50 deaths to date.
Consumer Reports has called for the CPSC and companies to get all inclined sleep products off the market and out of people’s homes. CR strongly supports legislation in Congress to ban the manufacture, import, and sale of inclined sleepers altogether.
“Today’s recall is shockingly overdue. At the very least, it should’ve happened ten weeks ago when the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper was finally recalled. Does Mattel have any other dangerous products it’s sitting on that it should recall now, instead of leaving children or babies at risk?” said William Wallace, manager of home and safety policy for Consumer Reports.
“While it’s good they’re finally getting these 71,000 products off the market, Fisher-Price and Mattel owe it to their customers to give them full refunds, rather than partial refunds or company vouchers, regardless of how long ago the product was bought. If they won’t do so, then it’ll be clear: the company is putting its bottom line over infant safety.”
Consumer Reports urges anyone with an inclined sleep product or accessory to immediately stop using the product. American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep recommendations say that babies should be placed alone to bed on a firm, flat surface in their own space, with no extra bedding. All infant inclined sleep products and accessories conflict with that advice.
Contact: David Butler, dbutler@consumer.org, 202-462-6262
***
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.