Discount department store Target has this week recalled more than 17,000 Peppa Pig-branded sleepwear garments amid concerns fabric bows on the pyjamas could cause a potential fire hazard if they were to come into contact with exposed flames.
The recall comes just weeks after Target and a host of other retailers were forced to recall 50,000 pairs of jeans and pillow cases found to have been made with dyes containing hazardous chemicals.
A spokesperson for Target told SmartCompany three Peppa Pig products for children aged between two and six years—an all-in-one sleepsuit and two sets of pyjamas—were recalled after an internal audit revealed the bows on the garments did not meet the mandatory standard for children’s nightwear.
“The bows are larger than the size specified in the mandatory standard and thus present a potential safety risk if they come into contact with an exposed flame”, says the spokesperson.
The spokesperson says no other items have been affected by the issue.
The items were sold in Target stores and from the retailer’s website between March 1 and June 10. All customers who purchased the products can return the items in exchange for a full refund.
A spokesperson for Consumer Affairs Victoria told SmartCompany all businesses are “responsible for ensuring the products you sell comply with Australian product safety laws”.
The spokesperson says business owners can access product safety guides from Consumer Affairs to help them recognise and avoid unsafe products.
“The guides include photos of many products currently banned or subject to a mandatory standard as well as information on your obligations under national product safety laws,” says the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said government agencies across the country also carry out product checks by visiting retailers, wholesalers and importers and informing companies of their legal obligations.
The Target recall also comes after a recent complaint about one of the garments was dismissed by the Advertising Standards Bureau.
According to Ragtrader, the advertising watchdog received complaints about a catalogue advertisement for the Peppa Pig sleepsuit, which alleged an image of a young girl wearing the sleepsuit was sexual in nature.
“I feel this girl is being portrayed in a sexual way but she is a child,” said one complainant. “I simply had a reaction when I saw it, a very young girl in a provocative position lying on a bed with her legs open, the folds/shading of the pyjamas accentuating the female genital area.”
However, the ad board dismissed the complaint last month, agreeing with Target who said the way the girl was lying on the bed was “normal and appropriate” for a young child.
Editor
Eloise is an experienced business journalist and editor, who has held senior editorial roles at SmartCompany since 2014. Prior to joining SmartCompany, Eloise was news editor at Books+Publishing, the trade press for the Australian book industry. Eloise has degrees in media and communications, marketing and business management, and political science. You can follow her on LinkedIn, and Twitter at @ellykeating.
