Dive Brief:
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Target has recalled 127,000 Halloween-themed LED gel clings because of their potential choking and battery ingestion hazard to young children, according to the retailer and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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This recall involves six different decorations, including a green skeleton, pink skeleton, purple spider, black cat, orange pumpkin, and black bat, that come with two non-replaceable button cell batteries. The gel clings are for window use only and light up when pushed.
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The decorations were sold at Target stores nationwide from August 2016 through September 2016 for about $1. No injuries have been yet been reported, and customers can return the lights for a refund, according to the CPSC.
Dive Insight:
Fortunately, this is a fairly minor recall that is largely precautionary, considering there have been no reports of actual injury.
Recalls are not uncommon for big-box retailers. Todd Harris, VP of Recalls at Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS, a company that handles product recalls for major brands across many industries, including retail, told Retail Dive last year that there are between five and 10 recalls happening each day. "The ultimate outcome of any recall will depend on what the manufacturer does, and how quickly and effectively they do it," he said. "This comes down to accomplishing three goals — protect the public, protect the brand, and close the recall as soon as possible."
The CPSC recommends consumers immediately remove the recalled gel clings from areas with children and return them to any Target store for a full refund. Customers can call Target at 800-440-0680 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday, click online on “School/Stationery/Seasonal” on Target’s product recalls page for more information or the “Product Recalls” tab on Target’s Facebook page. The CPSC tweeted out news about the recall late last week.
#Recall: @Target Halloween LED gel clings; choking & button battery ingestion hazards; get refund https://t.co/cuBQNlXQvn pic.twitter.com/aTneeBkOe8
— U.S. CPSC (@USCPSC) October 20, 2016
