FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 1999
Release # 99-110
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Company Phone Number: (800) 793-5408
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063
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CPSC, IKEA Announce Voluntary Recall of Wooden Stacking Ring Toys to Replace Top Red Ball Pieces
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), IKEA U.S. Inc., of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., is voluntarily
replacing the red ball pieces on top of the wooden stacking rings on about
28,000 stacking ring toys. The red ball that tops this toy poses a choking
hazard to young children.
IKEA has received one report of a 4-year-old boy in Europe choking to
death on the top ball portion of the stacking ring toy. No other injuries have
been reported.
The stacking ring toy, called "MULA," is 8.5 inches high. The toy consists
of eight brightly colored, wooden rings; a red, top ball; and a pedestal base
with a stacking rod. When all the pieces are stacked in order, the toy resembles
an inverted cone with the red ball capping it. There is a sticker under the
pedestal base with the words, "Design and Quality" and "IKEA of Sweden" written
on it. The toy is packaged in either a white cardboard box with "MULA" printed
in orange, or sold shrink-wrapped with "MULA" and "Stacking rings" printed on
the plastic wrapping.
IKEA stores nationwide sold these stacking toys from October 1991 through
April 1999 for about $6.
Consumers should take the red ball that tops this toy away from children
immediately. Consumers can mail the ball to IKEA or take it to any IKEA store to
receive a redesigned top piece. The red ball can be mailed to IKEA U.S. Inc.,
496 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. Postage costs will be
reimbursed. Consumers also can return the stacking ring toy to any IKEA store
for a refund. For more information, consumers should call IKEA at (800) 793-5408
between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. EDT Monday through Saturday.
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