A Maclaren buggy that has been known to cut off children’s fingertips will reamain on sale in Ireland and the rest of Europe despite being recalled in the US.
UK-based Maclaren today said the umbrella pushchairs were safe to use and reassured customers they are safe when opened or closed correctly.
The company’s comments come after it announced yesterday that one million folding pushchairs in the United States have been recalled after reports that 12 children had their fingertips cut off when they were caught in the hinges.
All Maclaren single and double umbrella pushchairs, including the popular Volo and Techno models, were voluntarily recalled by the firm in the US, which said it is providing customers and retailers with a kit to cover the “elbow joint” on the hinge mechanism.
But today the company said the measures would not apply to Europe. A spokesman said the products fully comply with European safety legislation and if a buggy is folded or unfolded in line with instructions, the risk of injury is “non-existent”.
The company said there was a difference between the term “product recall” in the US and Europe. A spokesman for Maclaren Europe Limited said the term “recall” is used in the US for corrective action taken to modify products, as well as for times when products are returned and customers given a refund.
“Our products are fully compliant with European safety legislation. Our products were assessed and found to be fully compliant and safe,” he said. “We wish to reassure our customers that they should continue to use their existing Maclaren buggies since they are safe when opened and closed correctly.
“As further reassurance we have updated our operating instructions and placed a warning label on the buggy to ensure that customers take care and keep children away from the buggy when it is being folded or unfolded.
“Our advice is that consumers should take the same level of caution and care as when opening or closing a car door or any other moving part that can be found in many other baby and toddler products.”
Yesterday the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said US customers should stop using the pushchairs immediately.
In a joint statement with Maclaren USA, the CPSC said: “The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.”
It said the firm had received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the pushchair’s hinge mechanism, “resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States”.
The recalled models in America include the Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.