Amazon urgently recalls children’s Halloween costume posing ‘serious risk of strangulation’

Product information

Type: Toys – Fancy Dress Costumes
Amazon ASIN: B0HBBWM2B8
Amazon listing name: QhgPnt Toddler Ghost Costume
Country of Origin: Unknown
Product description: A white fabric ghost costume, contained in a plastic bag bearing a label marked “80CM”. A cord was also received, separated from the costume, with plastic hooks on each end and was fitted with a toggle for length adjustment around the head.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) shared a warning, and with Halloween just days away, shoppers should act quickly if they have purchased the product.

The OPSS states: “The product presents a serious risk of strangulation as it is marketed as suitable for toddlers, but it was supplied with a cord that exceeds the permitted length for toys intended for young children.

“The cords could become tangled and may wrap around a child’s neck during play, potentially restricting breathing and leading to strangulation.

“Additionally, the product also presents a risk of asphyxiation as the flexible plastic bag containing the costume has a bag thickness that measured below the minimum permitted. Some of the required documentation and markings were not present.”

The product does not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, and owners are advised to stop using it “immediately”, and keep it out of reach of children.

If you have purchased the affected item, you should contact the retailer or supplier, who can sort a refund or replacement.

Product recalls are issued when an item poses a health or safety risk, and they should be taken seriously by the owners. Earlier this month, Primark recalled two Halloween decorations that could cause “serious or fatal illness”. They may contain asbestos.

The two affected items are Gonk decorations, one wearing a pumpkin hat and another sporting a witch hat with grey hair. They can be identified by model numbers 991174794 and 991179148, with corresponding barcodes 212047125 and 212080261.

Breathing asbestos can be incredibly dangerous. “Tiny asbestos fibres can get stuck in the lungs and irritate lung tissues, and the diseases can be serious or even fatal”, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

The OPSS stated: “The products present a risk to health as the sand sealed inside the gonks may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos.

“Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure. We recommend owners stop using the product immediately and keep out of the reach of children.”