PARENTS have been warned about ‘dangerous’ sleeping bags that could suffocate their babies.
More than 30 baby sleeping bags found on online marketplaces including Amazon and eBay pose a suffocation risk, according to an investigation by Which?.
eBay has since removed this listing since Which? contacted them[/caption]
Which? said the online marketplaces had been allowing the sale of baby sleeping bags similar or identical to products that were officially recalled by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for suffocation risks.
A common characteristic of the products found by Which? were hoods which could cover a baby’s head and face and result in suffocation.
The inclusion of hoods does not comply with the British Standards Institution’s safety standards for this reason.
Some of the sleeping bags Which? looked at, such as a teddy bear-style blanket on Amazon Marketplace, did not have arm holes.
This is despite the sleeping bags needing them to meet the safety standard.
Those without can cause a baby to slip down inside the sleeping bag, covering their face and risking suffocation.
Which? also found a sack-style sleeping bag listing on eBay which showed a baby being “positively swamped” by the item.
The consumer group also found five listings on Etsy that it was “concerned about”, with two appearing to be identical to recalled products, and the other three in a similar style and listed as sleeping bags.
Which? is now urging shoppers to avoid baby sleeping bags with hoods or excess material, such as large bows or other novelty additions, that risk covering a baby’s head and face while they move around in their sleep.
It is best to always use a sleeping bag with arm holes as these help to stop babies slipping down inside the bag.
More concerns for parents
Other items to avoid included products sold as multipurpose items, such as a swaddle, stroller cover and baby cocoon as well as a sleeping bag, to ensure individual items conform to safety standards.
The regulator undertook test purchasing for a range of items sold online, including baby sleeping products, and worked with online marketplaces to remove the listings.
This is method used by regulators to ensure that businesses are not selling goods that may not be safe for consumers.
However Which? said it found 35 potentially lethal sleeping bags still being sold just four months later.
Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: “It’s outrageous that dangerous baby sleeping bags are still being sold on online marketplaces.
“Our previous investigations showed this is part of a wider pattern: unsafe products are removed, only to resurface.
“The only way to break this cycle is by holding online marketplaces legally accountable, with tough penalties for failures.”
An eBay spokesperson said: “Consumer safety is a top priority for eBay.
“We work diligently to keep our site safe and prevent prohibited listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms for unsafe listings, and AI-supported monitoring by our team of in-house specialists.”
“These proactive measures have prevented millions of potentially unsafe products from being listed every year.
“Listings that violate eBay policy, including those identified in this investigation, are swiftly removed.”
An Amazon spokesperson said:“We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies.
“The products flagged are not in scope of the safety alerts shared by Which?.
“If customers have concerns about an item they’ve purchased, we encourage them to contact our Customer Service directly so we can investigate and help resolve their issue.”
The Sun has contacted Etsy for comment.
Your product recall rights
CHIEF consumer reporter James Flanders reveals all you need to know.
Product recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods.
As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action.
But it’s often left up to supermarkets to notify customers when products could put them at risk.
If you are concerned about the safety of a product you own, always check the manufacturer’s website to see if a safety notice has been issued.
When it comes to appliances, rather than just food items, the onus is usually on you – the customer – to register the appliance with the manufacturer as if you don’t there is no way of contacting you to tell you about a fault.
If you become aware that an item you own has been recalled or has any safety noticed issued against it, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by the manufacturer.
They should usually provide you with more information and a contact number on its safety notice.
In some cases, the manufacturer might ask you to return the item for a full refund or arrange for the faulty product to be collected.
You should not be charged for any recall work – such as a repair, replacement or collection of the recalled item.