Urgent recall warning issued for popular pushchair over fears it could COLLAPSE and injure babies
A POPULAR pushchair maker has issued an urgent recall warning over fears one of its prams could collapse.
iCandy has announced a voluntary recall of the Orange 4 pushchair due to a potential safety issue, effective immediately.
The brand has halted all sales of this specific pram following the discovery of a potential manufacturing defect that could pose a risk to babies.
It claims that manufacturing weakness in the injected plastic moulded front wheel fork could cause it to abruptly stop or collapse, leading to a risk of injury.
The issue is also said to affect some Orange 4 pushchairs that have been repaired with the affected parts since January 2024.
Parents with the Orange 4 prams are being urged to stop using it immediately.
Instead, they need to contact iCandy customer service via qualityassurance@icandyuk.com for further instructions on how to proceed.
iCandy’s Orange 4 prams usually retail between £1,099 and £1,999, depending on the optional extras you choose.
Before initiating the recall, iCandy received two reports from customers whose pushchairs showed cracks developing in the left-hand wheel fork.
Since taking the product off the market, iCandy has received a further four reports of cracked forks.
iCandy told The Sun that 1,301 pushchairs contain the faulty front forks.
This includes 828 pushchairs sold as complete units and 423 that have been retrofitted with the faulty parts.
iCandy has said that affected customers can opt to have their pushchairs mended free of charge in the first instance.
However, customers are still entitled to a cash refund if they act quickly.
Warren Appel, a joint-chief executive at iCandy, said: “We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate our customers’ understanding and patience as we work diligently to resolve this matter.
“Customer safety is of paramount importance to us, and we are committed to addressing this issue promptly and effectively.
“As a family business and many of us being parents ourselves, we believe in transparency and a direct approach to product safety, and it’s our mission to provide our iCandy Family with the quality products that they know and love.”
What is a product recall?
PRODUCT recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods.
Many safety notices for products are issued as a precautionary measure, letting consumers know an item may be dangerous.
In more serious cases, manufacturers or retailers issue a recall, warning customers not to use the product and asking them to return it.
As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action.
But it’s often left up to retailers to notify customers when products could put them at risk.
A company will sometimes issue a recall to limit the number of complaints.
What are my rights to a refund?
If you return a recalled product, your rights to a refund depend on whether the fault makes it unsafe.
Sometimes, companies will repair the product, for example, by fitting a new part instead of offering a refund.
However, if a fault makes a product unsafe to use or is too difficult to fix, you still have the right to claim a refund.
Natalie Hitchins, head of Which? home products and services, said: “This recall due to a potential safety issue means many parents will be worried about the safety of their child and wondering whether they should get their pushchair repaired or ask for a refund.
“Which? recommends that customers stop using their pushchairs and speak to iCandy’s Customer Services team.
“Although iCandy is encouraging consumers who bought Orange 4 pushchairs from January 2024 onwards to get theirs reworked, you have 30 days to reject this and get a refund in line with the Consumer Rights Act.”
Get in touch with iCandy by emailing qualityassurance@icandyuk.com.
You can read more about your rights concerning a recalled product in our guide.
How can I check for product recalls?
SADLY there's no central database that lists all the recalls across the UK.
This makes it more difficult for consumers to actually know if the products they are using are safe.
Some websites do list the most recent recalls for different kinds of products:
- For food, you can check a list of food alerts on the Food Standards Agency’s website at www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts.
- A variety of the most recent recalls and safety notices are listed on the Chartered Trading Institute at www.tradingstandards.uk/consumer-help/product-recalls-and-safety-notices.
- For car and vehicle recalls, you should visit www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall.
- For electrical products, you can check the Electrical Safety First’s website by visiting www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/product-recalls.
- Check alerts and recalls for drugs by visiting www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts.
In December, Home Bargains issued a major recall for a heater it stocked.
The bargain chain issued a “DO NOT USE” alert after TJ Morris Ltd. discovered that its PIFCO Convector Heater with Turbo and Timer was at risk of going up in flames.
In the same month, Asda, Lidl and Tesco recalled a Beldray cordless vacuum over a manufacturing defect.
Meanwhile, Poundland issued an urgent recall on one of its toys over choking fears earlier last year.
And, a warning was issued to parents after Asda recalled a popular baby item.