Recall an 'isolated incident'
J.C. Penney Co., the third-largest U.S. department-store company, recalled 49,000 Winnie the Pooh play sets made in China that contain unsafe amounts of lead paint.
The retailer also recalled 19,000 Deluxe Wood Art Sets made in Taiwan and Vietnam, and 2,400 Breyer stirrup ornaments manufactured in China, for the same reason, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday in separate statements.
More than 90,000 products were recalled Thursday because of lead paint, the majority made in China. The U.S. Congress held hearings in September on lead in children's toys, which may cause brain damage if ingested, and the safety of Chinese imports. About 80 percent of the world's toys are made in China, the biggest exporter of consumer goods.
The CPSC Thursday recalled four other products that may contain excessive levels of lead. CBRL Group Inc. asked consumers to return 7,800 Chinese-made Princess Magnetic Travel Art Set Lap Desks sold in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations from April to August.
Kipp Brothers recalled 10,000 Bendable Dinosaur Toys manufactured in China. Riddell Inc. called back 2,500 Chinese- made Collectible ''Jeff Gordon'' Mini Helmets, based on the one worn by race car driver Jeff Gordon. Flaghouse Inc. recalled 2,400 Kidnastics Balance Beams made in Taiwan.
- Bloomberg News
Starbucks to continue using Chinese suppliers
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop chain, won't stop sourcing products from China after recalling children's cups with animal faces, some of which broke and caused choking.
''This is an isolated incident,'' Starbucks spokesman Brandon Borrman said from the company's Seattle headquarters Thursday. ''In an issue like this we act very quickly. We frequently conduct design safety reviews and have an ongoing process of random testing.''
Starbucks recalled 250,000 children's plastic cups from U.S. and Canada stores, a year after removing 73,000 China-made coffee machines prone to overheating and melting. At least 15 million items manufactured in China were recalled in the U.S. over the past two months, including tainted children's products under brands including Mattel Inc. and Walt Disney Co.
Animal faces on Starbucks' plastic cups broke in at least seven instances, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday in a statement.
Two children began to choke on the pieces, though no injuries have been reported, the CPSC said. The cups also posed a laceration hazard, it said.
The cups were sold at Starbucks stores from May 2006 through August 2007 for $6. Consumers may receive refunds as well as a complimentary beverage from Starbucks for returning the cups.
- Bloomberg News
