A SOLIHULL baby who nearly choked on a faux fur blanket has sparked a warning to parents about the danger of buying cheap goods online.
A local mother contacted Trading Standards after noticing her baby had started to choke on fibres that had come away easily from the edges of the blanket.
She had bought the faux fur baby blanket, which had no labels, from a retailer advertised on social media.
Although it had been advertised in pounds, it was sold by an American company, shipped direct from China.
While there is no specific test for baby blankets, Trading Standards had the blanket expertly examined and advised the product is not suitable for children under 12 months as pile shedding in large quantities, like in this case, can cause vomiting and choking in small children.
People are being encouraged to ensure they are buying from recognised retailers and check online reviews before they buy products.
They should also check where the retailer is based, as if it’s based outside the European Union the consumer has fewer rights.
Goods should also be appropriately labelled with a CE mark and safety warnings and, if in doubt, do not buy.
Call the Citizens’ Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06 to report concerns of unsafe products, sellers or websites.
