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IKEA forced to recall products over safety fears

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2016-07-13 09:38Shanghai Daily Editor: Huang Mingrui

IKEA China has started recalling more than 1.66 million of chests of drawers, including the popular Malm line series, in China's mainland today, following criticism about double standards for refusing to order a recall of products in China as it did in North America.

On June 29, IKEA announced that it would recall 35.6 million chests and dressers in the United States and Canada after six children were crushed to death after the furniture toppled over them.

However, the Swedish furniture giant refused to recall the products in China, provoking accusations of discrimination and consumer rights violations.

It eventually relented after the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau got in touch with IKEA China and ordered it to fulfill its obligation on quality issues and safety hazards.

IKEA China said products sold in China had passed the country's national quality standard and no injuries or fatalities were reported on the mainland.

But it eventually relented and ordered a recall scheme, which was submitted to China's quality watchdog. It said the products in question were available in China between 1999 and 2016 with 1,660,845 pieces sold, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said.

During a visit to the IKEA's Xuhui outlet yesterday, Shanghai Daily found that the supposed-recalled products were still being sold with the Swedish company insisting that it had no quality problems. The affected lines of drawers such as Hemnes, Malm, Tarva and Brimnes were still available for buyers at the outlet.

"We will not stop the sales of these furniture because anchoring them to the wall will solve the problem," said Vivian Tang, IKEA Shanghai PR manager.

IKEA China had also posted messages at its outlets, website and on its product assembly instructions, reminding consumers to secure the furniture to the wall to ensure safety, the company said in a statement.

Tang said free wall-anchoring service was available for consumers.

IKEA China said if buyers still insist on a return, its staff would come home and take away the furniture listed in the recall plan. They can get a refund with the receipt.

But the continued sales of the controversial products did not go down well with some people. "Recalling and selling the same models of products at the same time is a contradictory practice and ignores consumers' rights and interests," said Ge Zhihao, a local lawyer.

Some buyers said they were not aware of the safety issues of the furniture.

"After media reports of the incident in the US, I tried shaking the chests of the drawers to see if they could topple over," said Chen Li, who has a 10-year-old daughter.

"I think IKEA should stop selling these furniture immediately otherwise the recall plan is meaningless," she said.

But there were a few consumers who were sympathetic about the situation.

"If IKEA tells its consumers to secure the furniture on the wall, it does not have to be recalled," said Sherry Shen who has a 6-year-old son. "It is not like a children's furniture containing excessive formaldehyde, which affects health," she said.

  

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