Amazon has been hit with a major recall order by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), requiring them to pull over 400,000 potentially dangerous products from their platform.
This action comes after the CPSC found significant safety risks, including threats of death and electrocution.
Between 2018 and 2021, over 300,000 customers purchased these hazardous items, yet Amazon did not provide adequate warnings.
The CPSC’s tests confirmed that the products were defective.
Among the dangerous items are highly flammable children’s pajamas, faulty carbon monoxide detectors, and unsafe hair dryers.
Rather than issuing a formal recall, Amazon opted to send messages to customers that minimized the hazards.
They used vague language, stating that the products “may fail” to meet safety standards, potentially leading to “burn injuries to children,” “electric shock,” or “exposure to potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.”
The company avoided using the term “recall” and did not give clear disposal instructions.
They even offered gift cards to customers without requiring proof that the dangerous products were destroyed.
The CPSC fears that many of these dangerous products are still in use across the country.
They emphasized the risks: children wearing flammable sleepwear could suffer injuries or death, faulty carbon monoxide detectors could fail to alert homeowners to the deadly gas, and unsafe hair dryers used near water could cause electrocution.
Amazon’s Response
Amazon has faced criticism for not tracking the number of messages opened or products destroyed. There is also concern that people who received these items as gifts or bought them second-hand may be unaware of the dangers.
In response, an Amazon spokesperson expressed disappointment with the CPSC’s decision and announced plans to appeal in court.
They defended their actions by stating that they promptly notified customers, instructed them to stop using the products, and provided refunds when initially notified by the CPSC.
Legal Disputes and Future Actions
Amazon disputes the CPSC’s ruling, claiming it is merely a logistics provider for third-party sellers and not responsible for product safety. However, the CPSC asserts that Amazon controls the sales process and must ensure safety.
To improve future recall efforts, the CPSC now requires detailed recall notices from Amazon, including product photos, hazard descriptions, injury or death counts, corrective actions, and precise sales figures.
Commitment to Customer Safety
Amazon’s spokesperson mentioned that the company swiftly removes impacted products after receiving actionable information from recalling agencies.
They also highlighted their recall alerts service, which aims to notify customers of important safety information quickly and ensure an effective and efficient recall process.
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