Fisher-Price Recalls More Than 2 Million Swings Linked to Infant Deaths But Consumer Advocates Demand More

WASHIGNTON, DC - The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Fisher-Price announced a recall of more than two million Fisher-Price Snuga Infant Swings on Thursday, October 10, 2024. There have been reports of five deaths involving infants associated with the product between 2012 and 2022. The CPSC reminded caregivers never to use these products for sleep, never add blankets to swings, and never use inclined seated products for sleep.

The affected products were sold nationwide at Amazon, Toys"R"Us, Walmart/Sam's Club, and Target from October 2010 through January 2024 for approximately $160. The recall asks consumers to remove and destroy the headrest and body support insert from the seat pad. Fisher-Price will provide a $25 incentive to consumers who remove and destroy the headrest and body support insert.

Consumer Federation of America and Kids In Danger say the recall is insufficient. The remedy and refund are inadequate to incentivize consumer participation. Further, the minimal refund offered fails to emphasize the urgency of a recalled product associated with five infant deaths. In his statement on the recall, CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka detailed his concerns with the recall.

The recall also underscores the challenges consumers face on secondhand marketplaces. On October 10, 2024, CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Commissioners Peter Feldman, Mary Boyle, and Douglas Dziak also sent letters regarding the Fisher-Price Snuga Infant Swing recall to Goodwill Industries, Meta Platforms, Craigslist, eBay, Mercari, and Nextdoor. The letters urged the companies to take action to ensure recalled products are not sold. In recent years, Consumer Federation of America, Kids In Danger, and other consumer advocates have voiced concern about the availability of banned and recalled products on secondhand marketplaces, especially online.

"The Fisher-Price Snuga Infant Swing recall highlights the real-word consequences of a weak corporate response," said Courtney Griffin, Director of Consumer Product Safety at Consumer Federation of America. "The refund amount is a fraction of the cost. This is exactly the type of product that will be re-sold to other caregivers, exposing more infants to unnecessary danger. Companies should put just as much effort into getting recalled products out of the marketplace as they do to get products into our homes."

"The shortcomings of the voluntary recall system at CPSC are all evident in this announcement," stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "Even in a case involving infant deaths, the company holds the power in limiting the remedy and even the extent of the recall - in this case allowing continued use of the product, but without the attached pillow. The result will be these products remaining in use for many more years. We urge consumers to stop use of the product and destroy it, and for both online and brick and mortar secondhand sellers to remove it from listings and stores."

"Manufacturers should view recalls as an additional layer of protection when necessary, not as a substitute or excuse for failing to prioritize safety from the very beginning," said Michelle Barry of Safe Infant Sleep.

This recall comes less than a month after a new report from the CPSC that more than 170 infant deaths were associated with nursey products annually between 2019 and 2021. Unsafe sleep environments accounted for 76 percent of the fatalities reported during the timeframe. The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to remember the following safety tips :

1. Back to sleep. Always place baby to sleep on their back.
2. Bare is best. Always keep the baby's sleep space bare. The simplest sleep space is the safest. Never use pillows, padded crib bumpers, comforters, or similar products.
3. Transfer baby to a firm, flat crib, bassinet, or play yard if they fall asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger, or similar product.
4. Inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers, and swings, should never be used for infant sleep. Infants should never be left in the products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with soft bedding.

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Kids In Danger (KID) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children by fighting for product safety. Our mission is to save lives by enhancing transparency and accountability through safer product development, better education, and stronger advocacy for children.

Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of nearly 200 non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education.

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