Some people's most beloved childhood memories involve toys, and although it may sound materialistic, toys are an essential part of how kids interact with one another.
Almost every woman remembers her favorite Barbie or the first American Girl doll they had as a little girl, and almost every man has nostalgic memories of holding wild car races with their half-missing Hot Wheels collections.
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These unforgettable toys formed prominent roles in kids' childhoods and have lived on to make an impact in the multiple generations that followed.
Mattel is one of the most popular toy and entertainment companies, owning renowned brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl, and Fisher-Price, which can be found at almost every retail store worldwide.
Mattel issues an important recall after devastating reports
On Thursday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Mattel (MAT) had issued a recall on all its 21 Fisher-Price Snuga Infant Swings models because they posed a suffocation hazard for children.
According to the announcement, approximately 2.1 million swings were sold in the U.S., around 99,000 were sold in Canada, and about 500 in Mexico from October 2010 through January 2024.
The swings retailed for around $160 each and could be bought at various popular family-staple stores, including Target (TGT) , Walmart (WMT) , Sam's Club, Toys R Us (TOYRF) , and even online through Amazon (AMZN) .
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The nearly 2.2 million total swings sold put millions of babies at risk and, unfortunately, caused five deaths of infants between one and three months of age, which were reported from 2012 to 2022.
The announcement warns customers that the swing should never be used for sleeping, and bedding materials like blankets shouldn't be added either, as they can increase the risk of suffocation.
To prevent further infant deaths, the CPSC urges consumers to remove the headrest and body support insert from the swing seat pad if they want to continue using it.
Additionally, Fisher-Price stated it would refund $25 to swing owners who remove and destroy the headrest and body support insert.
Mattel may not be so kid-friendly these days
With Mattel being a company that caters to children, it may be surprising that the toy maker has an entire section dedicated to Recall & Safety, which contains a long list of recalled items that go back as far as 1998.
According to the company's Recall & Safety statement, "There’s nothing more important to us than ensuring that every toy we make is safe. Every day, we design and engineer thousands of toys and other children’s products, and each model is evaluated to make sure it meets our rigorous standards."
Although some parents may have great childhood memories with Mattel products, they have begun to notice the safety hazards the company's brands pose to their children, especially the youngest ones.
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On Thursday, Fisher-Price posted on Instagram to inform customers about the recall of the Snuga swings. The post included a product image, important information, and the $25 refund.
With such a hazardous product, $25 doesn't make up for the lives of multiple infants that were taken away too soon, and many parents agreed.
As soon as the post was released, the comments section was instantly flooded with comments from concerned parents, and many were not very happy that a billion-dollar company didn't offer its customers full refunds.
One customer commented: "A refund should be issued. Not $25."
Another angry customer stated: "$25 refund when it cost $100+ ????"
A parent who almost lost their baby because of the dangerous swing shared part of their story by commenting: "We had to call an ambulance when Chloe was a month old while sitting in this swing. Would you like us to share more info with you for research on this situation?"
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