U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Manufacturers Announce Recall To Fix Zippered Bean Bag Chairs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of its ongoing investigation of deaths and injuries associated with zippered bean bag chairs, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today a major cooperative repair program for at least 10 million zippered bean bag chairs.

CPSC is aware of 5 deaths and at least 27 other incidents in which children and toddlers have inhaled or ingested the bean bag filling. In some cases, the children unzipped the bean bag cover, crawled inside, and suffocated from inhaling the small pellets of foam filling. In other cases, children choked while playing with escaping, adhering pellets which clogged their mouths and noses.

CPSC Chairman Ann Brown said, "I am glad these companies have chosen to work voluntarily with CPSC to avoid risks to children."

The following companies are participating in this voluntary corrective action program:

These manufacturers' bean bag chairs have been sold nationwide in retail stores including Caldor, F.W. Woolworth, Harts Stores, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Montgomery Ward, Rich's, Sears Roebuck and Co., Toys 'R' Us, and Walmart.

Consumers should stop using any manufacturer's bean bag chairs with zippers that freely open and take them away from children IMMEDIATELY. Consumers should check the bean bag chairs for a label identifying the manufacturer and call the company's 800 number listed above to receive instructions for repairing bean bag chairs to prevent them from opening.

CPSC states that consumers should be aware that bean bag chairs manufactured with a small, T-shaped plastic tab attached to the zipper head are in need of repair. Consumers who are not sure whether their bean bag chairs are included in this repair program should call CPSC's toll-free hot line at (800) 638-2772 for assistance.

CPSC is continuing to investigate other manufacturers of zippered bean bag chairs that may have distributed similar products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hot line at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

March 16, 1995