Consumer watchdog flags safety risks in several baby cots, strollers, children’s accessories sold online

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s consumer watchdog has flagged several baby cots, strollers and children's accessories sold online as unsafe.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) said on Thursday (Nov 13) that it purchased and tested 22 products, offered mainly by suppliers on Shopee or Lazada, this year.

“Of the 22 higher-risk products sampled, 17 were found to be unsafe as they did not meet applicable product safety standards,” it said in a press release.

The 17 products included five baby cots, four strollers and eight accessories for children.

The remaining five products, which were toys for babies and young children, were found to conform to international standards for physical and chemical safety, it said.

Safety incidents involving the three categories of children’s products surveyed by the Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) have continued to occur, said the consumer watchdog.

Its chief executive Alvin Koh said CCS had worked closely with the e-commerce platforms and online retailers to remove the non-compliant products.

“Consumers who purchased the identified products should stop using them immediately, and those with similar products should be mindful of potential hazards,” he said.

CNA has asked Lazada and Shopee for comment and whether the flagged product listings have been removed. 

Consumers buying toys and children’s products online must check their listings for safety-related instructions, appropriate age labelling and customer reviews, said Mr Koh.  

“While we urge consumers and parents to keep a watchful eye for risky products, CCS will continue our market surveillance efforts to keep our consumers safe."

CPSO noted that most physical retailers in Singapore selling baby cots, strollers and toys surveyed could produce supporting documents indicating that their products had been tested to relevant safety requirements.

CHOKING, FALLING HAZARDS

Common hazards identified among the five baby cots included the products having openings and moving parts or sides that were wide enough to trap a child’s fingers or head.

CCS also found that some of the products were a safety hazard since they had points where clothes could get trapped and potentially cause strangulation.

Another common issue was the cots having bases that could break easily and cause falls, or sides with insufficient height to prevent children from climbing out.

For the strollers, CCS found that there were frames or wheels that broke while passing over uneven surfaces or had inadequate restraint systems. Both features could allow a child to fall out, it said.

Small and detachable parts that could cause choking were another common hazard identified.

CCS also noted that some of the strollers had moving parts that could trap, pinch, or cut fingers or toes.

The unsafe accessories identified included several watches and pieces of jewellery.

Some of these products were laceration hazards as they had ornaments that detached during testing, exposing sharp points, said CCS.

For the watches, those that had button battery compartments posed a risk to children as they were easily accessible and could cause chemical burns internally if swallowed.

RISE IN INJURIES RELATED TO COTS AND STROLLERS

There has been a rise in cot- and stroller-related injuries over the past five years, said Dr Ronald Tan, chairman of the injury and prevention working group at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).

According to KKH, most of the incidents involving baby cots and strollers were primarily head injuries from falls.

“This trend reminds us of the importance for parents and caregivers to be present, exercise greater caution, and provide closer supervision when using cots and strollers,” said Dr Tan.

CCS said that the National Trauma Registry recorded an annual average of about 140 cases of child injuries between 2022 and 2024 from the use of baby cots, strollers, button batteries and children’s jewellery.

“Suppliers of general consumer goods in Singapore must ensure their products meet applicable safety standards,” it said.

Children’s products must comply with applicable international safety standards issued by at least one of the following organisations:

• International Organization for Standardization
• International Electrotechnical Commission
• European Committee for Standardisation
• ASTM International

Anyone who fails to comply with CPSO’s directions to stop selling unsafe products may face up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to S$10,000 (US$7, 680), or both.