Furniture giant Ikea is still selling Malm chests and dressers in Australia, despite an eighth child death prompting a recall of 29 million items in the US.
A spokesperson for Ikea Australia said Australia would not be joining in the recall relaunch announced on Tuesday.
‘At Ikea, we believe children are the most important people in the world and the safety of our products is our highest priority,’ the spokesperson said in a statement.
Furniture giant Ikea is still selling Malm chest of drawers (pictured) in Australia, despite an eighth child death prompting a recall of 29million items in the US
The death of two-year-old Jozef Dudek in California in May raised questions about whether Ikea has effectively spread the word about the recall, which was first announced in June 2016
‘Ikea chests of drawers and dressers are safe when attached to the wall, as directed in the assembly instructions. Ikea provides anti tip restraints and instructions for wall anchoring with all chest of drawers and other furniture which is at risk of tipping.’
CEO Lars Petersson said on Tuesday that Ikea wants to increase awareness of the recall campaign for several types of chest and dressers that can easily tip over if not properly anchored to a wall.
The death of a California toddler, who was found trapped underneath an Ikea Malm dresser in May, has raised questions about whether Ikea has effectively spread the word about the recall, which was first announced in June 2016.
The Swedish retailer and the federal safety regulators are asking customers to take immediate action to secure the dressers, or to return them.
Ted McGee (pictured left with mom Janet) and Ted McGee (pictured left with mom Janet) were both killed in 2012 and 2014 respectively when they were crushed by Ikea dressers
Petersson said Ikea has had an ‘extensive communication’ campaign through social media, its website and television and print ads. The company emailed 13 million people about the recall two months ago.
Still, Petersson said heightening awareness of the recall is necessary ‘because we think that it’s so important to reach as many people as possible’.
At least eight children under the age of three have been killed when an Ikea dresser fell on them, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The first death occurred 28 years ago and the others occurred after 2002.
The latest death was Jozef Dudek, 2, of Buena Park, California. The toddler had been put down for a nap when his father went in to check on him and found him under the dresser.
The recall, which applies only to customers in the US and Canada, includes 8 million Malm chest and dressers that were sold from 2002 through June 2016
He is the eighth child who has died from an incident involving an Ikea dresser and the fourth killed specifically by the Malm product.
Alan Feldman, one of the lawyers representing the Dudek family, said Ikea’s recall has been ‘poorly publicized’ and ‘ineffective in getting these defective and unstable dressers out of children’s bedrooms’.
The same team of lawyers represented the families of three toddlers who died when Ikea dressers fell on them. Ikea reached a $50 million settlement with the families last December.
The recall, which applies only to customers in the US and Canada, is for children’s chests and drawers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches.
It includes 8 million Malm chest and dressers that were sold from 2002 through June 2016.
Petersson said that more than 1 million dressers of have been returned for a refund or have been secured to walls with Ikea’s help since 2015, when the company first offered free wall-mounting kits.
Ikea said the recalled products are sold with instructions that they had to be attached to walls. Petersson emphasized the recalled units are safe when this is done.
Peterson said that Ikea has stopped selling products that do not adhere to US voluntary standards.
Acting CPSC chairman Ann Marie Buerkle said that people who own the furniture can take care of any potential hazards by contacting Ikea.
Customers should contact Ikea for a free wall-mounting kit. The company is also offering to send crews to attach them in the home.
Ikea is offering full refunds for anyone who no longer wants the furniture. Customers can bring them to a store, or Ikea will pick them up.
Buerkle said Ikea has ‘worked hard to make this an effective recall.’ She said it presents customers with an array of options ‘and is as least burdensome to the consumer as it could be.’
Ikea CEO Lars Petersson said on Tuesday that Ikea wants to increase awareness of the recall campaign for several types of chest and dressers that can easily tip over if not anchored