FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Toys“R”Us, Inc.
Jennifer Albano
(973) 617-5632
Jennifer.Albano@toysrus.com
Katie Reczek
(973) 617-4381
Katie.Reczek@toysrus.com
Toys“R”Us, Inc. Helps Parents Keep Kids Safe With ‘Great Trade-In’ Event, Following Successful Removal Of Nearly Half A Million Potentially Unsafe Baby Gear Items Since Program Began In 2009
Following Recent Enhancements to Product Safety Standards for Cribs and New Recommendations for Use of Car Seats, the ‘Great Trade-In’ Event Provides Parents and Caregivers the Opportunity to Save on the Newest Models of These and Other Baby Products
In An Effort to Remove More Potentially Unsafe Products, Addition of Four New Product Categories Eligible for Trade-In Provides Even More Opportunities to “Be Safe and Save”
WAYNE, NJ (August 24, 2011) – Toys“R”Us, Inc. today announced it will host its fifth “Great Trade-In” event in Babies“R”Us® and Toys“R”Us® stores nationwide from Friday, August 26 through Sunday, September 18, once again providing parents and caregivers with the opportunity to trade-in used and potentially unsafe baby gear in exchange for 25% savings on a new item. Since the company launched its first “Great Trade-In” event in August 2009, nearly half a million items have been turned in at its stores across the country. In an effort to help parents and caregivers remove even more unsafe products from circulation, four new product categories – swings, walkers, bouncers and entertainers – have been added to the “Great Trade-In” event.
The “Great Trade-In” event is a national safety program designed to call attention to the fact that certain used baby products, such as cribs and car seats, are not the best candidates to be handed down or resold. In addition to concern over recalled products that may still be in circulation, advances in product safety in recent years may have rendered older models unsafe and noncompliant with the newest standards. For example, new crib standards recently took effect on June 28 that prohibit the manufacture or sale of traditional drop-side rail cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware and require more rigorous testing.
“As a company dedicated to children’s safety, Toys“R”Us, Inc. continues to stay at the forefront of emerging safety issues and concerns, and is committed to offering parents and caregivers the safest products available,” said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys“R”Us, Inc. “With increased product safety standards for items such as cribs, the ‘Great Trade-In’ provides an excellent opportunity to bring older, and potentially unsafe products, to our stores in exchange for savings on those that meet today’s more stringent requirements.”
New Crib Safety Standards
On June 28, 2011, new crib standards from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) took effect that prohibit the manufacture or sale of traditional drop-side rail cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware and require more rigorous testing. All cribs sold in Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us stores and online meet these updated federal requirements, and the company has not carried drop-side cribs as part of its assortment since December 2009.
While all new cribs sold must meet these new requirements, consumers should be aware that these new standards also prohibit the re-selling of older cribs that do not meet these rigorous requirements.
“Consumers should be extremely wary of using second-hand cribs, whether they’ve borrowed one from a friend or purchased one from a yard sale, as it is most likely they would not meet the new crib standards and could present safety hazards,” said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids in Danger (KID), a consumer advocacy organization. “These updated standards are the toughest in the world, and the ‘Great Trade-In’ event is an opportunity to exchange an old item for savings on a new crib that is sure to meet these rigorous new requirements.”
Child care facilities have until December 28, 2012 to ensure that the cribs they use meet the new standards. The “Great Trade-In” event provides these centers the opportunity to begin immediately complying with these enhanced requirements, and save significantly on their new cribs.
American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Recommended Use of Car Seats
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age two, or until they reach the maximum height or weight for their seat. In its new guidelines, the AAP also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
For parents whose little ones are about to outgrow their infant car seat and transition to a convertible car seat or even outgrow their convertible seat and now need a booster seat, the “Great Trade-In” event provides the opportunity to save on one of the most important items for keeping kids safe while on-the-go.
Helping Parents Be Proactive on Children’s Safety
In addition to the “Great Trade-In” event, Toys“R”Us, Inc. offers the following resources to help parents and caregivers keep their children safe:
‘Great Trade-In’ Event Details
The “Great Trade-In” event begins Friday, August 26 and continues through Sunday, September 18 in Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us locations nationwide. During this time, stores will accept any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, high chairs, kids’ beds, and newly eligible for this year’s “Great Trade-In” event, swings, walkers, bouncers and entertainers, in exchange for a 25% savings on the purchase of a new baby item, in any of these product categories, from select manufacturers.
Brands participating in the “Great Trade-In” event include Babi Italia®, Babies“R”Us, Baby Cache®, Baby Einstein™, Baby Trend®, Bergamo®, Bright Starts™, Britax®, Carter’s®, Chicco®, Combi®, Contours by Kolcraft®, Delta™, Europa Baby®, Evenflo®, Graco®, Jeep®, Lamaze®, Little Tikes®, Maxi-Cosi®, Safety 1st®, S1 by Safety 1st®, Signature Series by Graco®, Sorelle™, Step2® and Summer Infant®. Customers can save 25% on a new purchase, within any of the specified product categories, from any of the aforementioned manufacturers, in Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us stores nationwide on the day they trade in their used item.
In addition, customers may exchange any number of used items, from any manufacturer, in the specified product categories. Day care centers or other organizations who wish to exchange items in bulk are encouraged to contact their local Babies“R”Us or Toys“R”Us store prior to trading in their used items to ensure adequate availability of new merchandise.
The NICHD’s Back to Sleep campaign has launched an online continuing education activity to teach pharmacists about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and about reducing babies’ risk for SIDS. The online CE activity gives pharmacists the information and tools they need to easily and effectively explain SIDS and SIDS risk reduction to parents, caregivers, and families.
Read more about the NICHD’s online SIDS education for pharmacists at
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/resources/spotlight/080911-education-activity-pharmacists.cfm
Table-Top Clip-on Chair Recalled by phil&teds USA Due to Fall and Amputation Hazards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: “metoo” Clip-on Chair
Units: 54,000 (these were the subject of a product safety alert issued May 6, 2011)
Importer: phil&teds USA Inc, of Fort Collins, Co.
Hazard: Missing or worn clamp pads allow the chairs to detach from a variety of different table surfaces, posing a fall hazard. In addition, when the chair detaches, children’s fingers can be caught between the bar and clamping mechanism, posing an amputation hazard. Also, user instructions for the chairs are inadequate, increasing the likelihood of consumer misuse.
Incidents/Injuries: phil&teds and CPSC have received 19 reports of the chairs falling from different table surfaces, including five reports with injuries. Two reports of injuries involved children’s fingers being
severely pinched, lacerated, crushed or amputated. The three other reports of injury involved bruising after a chair detached suddenly and a child struck the table or floor.
Description: The product is an infant/toddler chair with a nylon fabric seat and a metal frame that clamps onto tables using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of each clamp rests on the table top and has either a rubber pad on its underside or a rubber boot covering the clamp. The chair is sold in three fabric colors – red, black and navy. Chairs subject to this recall do not have black plastic spacers between the cross bar and the clamps.
Sold through: Buy Buy Baby, Target, Toys R Us and their online sites; philandteds.com; Amazon.com; other online retailers; and a variety of independent juvenile specialty stores from May 2006 to May 2011 for between $40 and $50.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact the company to receive a free repair kit and revised user instructions. Consumers who previously received a repair kit with only rubber boots
should also stop using the chair and contact the company for the new repair kit.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact phil&teds USA at (855) 652-9019 or visit the company’s website at www.philandteds.com/support
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11306.html
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