The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has urged parents to stop using the ‘SlingRider’ and ‘Wendy Bellissimo’ slings from Infantino for babies under 4 months, reports the Telegraph. Infantino has reiterated this message, and is advising parents in America and in the UK and Europe to stop using the SlingRider and get in touch for a free replacement.
"Our top priority is the safety of infants whose parents and caregivers use our products," Infantino’s president Jack Vresics said on the company’s website.
Earlier this month, the CPSC released a general warning about baby sling safety, addressing concerns over the risk of suffocation. The CPSC safety notice didn’t name specific slings at that time.
According to the CSPC, the new recall will involve 1 million of the Infantino slings in the USA and 15,000 in Canada.
Infantino has said it is committed to working with the CPSC in the US and Trading Standards in the UK to continue investigating sling style baby carriers. The company released the following statement today:
"At Infantino, our top priority is the safety of infants whose parents and caregivers use our products, and we highly value the trust that mothers and families place in the company’s products every day. Infantino has a well-earned reputation for designing safe and enjoyable products that are manufactured to the highest quality standards.
“Infantino is announcing a voluntary replacement program for the Infantino SlingRider infant baby carriers to address concerns raised by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This action is being taken in the US & Canada and also the UK and other European countries.
“Our company is comprised of moms (sic), dads, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents and we care deeply about the quality and safety of our products. Safety is our number one concern and today's announcement of a free replacement program reflects this commitment. As an industry leader, Infantino has also been working closely with CPSC and other agencies, as well as the international agency ASTM to develop safety standards for baby slings to ensure that these products are safe and that they are used appropriately. We will continue to play a leadership role in the industry and to cooperate closely with CPSC as it continues its investigation of all baby slings."
“Consumers should stop using the recalled slings immediately and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product.
“Consumers can contact Infantino at 0800 008 6927 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.infantino.com."
