I bought a teddy from Tesco on 10th August that was labelled as suitable from age 12 months+ for my ds aged 21 months. I gave it to him the next day and (as per usual) he put it in his mouth. I was just about to go cook his dinner but thankfully waited 5 minutes longer than normal. My ds suddenly started choking, if I'd been in the kitchen I may not have heard him as he wasn't coughing loud or anything he just couldn't breathe and his lips were going a blueish colour. I put my finger at the back of his mouth and pulled a good sized clump of fur out. Thankfully he was fine almost straight away but was very distressed. The fur had come from his new toy!! I'd bought one for a friends baby too so I checked that one and found chunks of fur came away if I just pulled at it slightly.
Obviously I was horrified at what couldve been so rang Tesco customer services. I was told that I had to take the toy back to the store for a refund. I told them I was not bothered about a refund more about the safety of other small children. These teddies were of animals. Like lions, cheetahs, monkeys, zebras etc and only cost £1 for the smaller ones or 2 for £3 for the slightly bigger ones. At this price I was so frightened they'd sell a lot more before I got to the store to fill in the complaint form and potentially put other children at risk. I was told they would issue a UK wide recall within 24 hours. Even though I didn't think this was fast enough what more could I do? I went to the store, filled in the complaint form (which took well over an hour!) and was told I'd hear back within a week (customer services said it would only be 3 days!). I didn't hear anything after 10 days so went back and was told it would be 2 weeks, after 2 weeks I was told it would be 3 weeks, yet I've still heard nothing!
Anyway, today I went in to Tesco and found these stuffed animals were back on sale! I was fuming and asked to speak to the duty manager. He said it was Tesco's policy to look into the complaint BEFORE removing any toy. I asked why and was told 'they may loose sales'!! I would've thought/hoped that a child's safety should come before profits but obviously not.
AIBU to have insisted that these soft toys were removed from sale immediately? It's only the one store out of all the stores they have but I'm so worried a child could die. If I hadn't been in the room when this happened who knows what the outcome would have been.
What more can I do to get the word out about this toy? I don't want a child to have to die before Tesco takes this seriously.
AIBU to be so bloody angry with Tesco? I was annoyed that they hadn't had the courtesy to even acknowledge my complaint before today, now I bloody fuming that they've put the toy back on sale (IF they even removed it from sale in the first place).