ConsumerAlly posts

Every can of the diet aid Slim-Fast sold in the United States is being recalled after dangerous bacteria was discovered by the manufacturer during a routine inspection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced. A recall of the diet drinks is also being instituted in Canada.

Consumer products giant Unilever United States, Inc., which owns the Slim-Fast brand, said an unknown portion of an estimated 10 million ready-to-drink cans are tainted with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism that can cause diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting. The company said it's recalling every can of Slim-Fast drinks, spanning some 50 varieties, as a precaution and urges consumers to discard them. Other Slim-Fast products -- such as meal replacement bars and powdered drink mixes -- are not included in the recall.

Three different types of wooden toys made by Connecticut-based Melissa & Doug have been recalled in Canada after Canadian officials said they tested them and found excessive levels of barium in the paint.

Health Canada, the government organization that's responsible for consumer health and safety issues, recently announced the recalls of the following products:

• Slice and Bake Cookie Set
• Shape Sorting Cube
• Pound-a-Peg

"Some forms of barium are safely used in medical and commercial applications, while other forms of barium can be toxic, causing adverse health effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps as well as more severe symptoms," Health Canada said in its announcement. "Children's toys coated with paint containing barium in excess of the allowable limit are strictly prohibited in Canada."

Bad news for people hoping to use their pricey, recently purchased ranges to roast turkeys or bake pies for Thanksgiving. High-end ranges sold under the Kenmore and Electrolux brands are being recalled after they were found to leak carbon monoxide gas when the oven is in use.

The Electrolux Icon and Kenmore Pro 30-inch gas ranges made in Canada by Electrolux Home Products have a part that allows delivery of more fuel than the oven burners can handle, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The result of the incomplete combustion is the release of carbon monoxide.

Electrolux told the CPSC that about 900 of the ranges have the problem. They were sold from August 2008 through October 2009 for $2,500 to $3,500.

The company said it had received four reports of carbon monoxide leaks.

According to the CPSC, those who have the ranges can continue to use the stove and broiler, but should not use the oven.

The free-standing ranges being recalled are limited to the Electrolux Icon model E30GF74HPS and
Kenmore Pro 30" Gas Range models 790.76913800 and 790.76913801 with following number range: NF83000000 – NF93633000.

Consumers can find the Electrolux model and serial number in the back of the range. The Kenmore model and serial number can be found near the range's base beneath the bottom right part of the oven door -- as well as in the rear.

For more information, those with the Electrolux range should call Electrolux weekdays between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET at (888) 360-8557 and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or visit the Web site set up for the recall. Those who have the Kenmore model should cal Sears at (800) 733-2299 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.

Pharmacy giant CVS has agreed to pay $875,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of New York that alleged the chain routinely sold expired food, drugs and other outdated products, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said.

California settled a similar case with CVS five months ago.

"New Yorkers should not have to worry that their neighborhood pharmacy is selling expired over-the-counter drugs that may be harmful to themselves or their families," Cuomo said in a written statement. "Today's settlement with CVS and our past settlement with Rite Aid - which total approximately $2 million --send the message that companies have a responsibility to put the safety of their customers ahead of boosting their profits."

UPDATED (12/1)
The elusive Zhu Zhu Pets faux hamsters continue to tease those who covet them. They show up at a handful of major retailers and disappear as quickly as they showed up. Most Zhu Zhu hunters didn't even know they were there.

Such is the life of the hot toy of the year -- following the likes of Furby and Tickle Me Elmo in the annals of toys whose scarcity was part of their allure.

Zhu Zhu Pet mania is bordering on the absurd -- creating a secondary market where the tantalizingly inexpensive toys ($8 at Walmart) become, well, expensive toys (about $60 for one on Amazon.com).

Nokia is recalling an estimated 14 million cell phone chargers the company says might be defective and could cause users to get shocked.

The Finnish mobile telecommunications giant said it found the defect through its own quality control program and has not had any reports of any incidents involving the chargers. The problem with the chargers, Nokia said, is that the covers can come off and expose the internal components.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the normal conduit for recalls of this type, was not party to this announcement and a spokesman for the safety agency did not immediately have a comment on the recall. It is not immediately clear how many of the recalled chargers were sold in the U.S.

Nokia is offering anyone with the affected chargers a new charger in exchange for the recalled ones. Nokia has a web site dedicated to the exchange program.

The company blamed the problem with the chargers on a supplier, BYD Co. -- run by Wang Chuanfu, who Forbes says is the wealthiest man in China. All the chargers being recalled were made this year.

Nokia said the chargers subject to the recall are: AC-3E and AC-3U models, manufactured between June and Aug. 9, 2009; and the AC-4U model, manufactured between April 13 and Oct. 25.

Nokia's recall site shows customers how to identify their charger model and determine whether it needs to be replaced. If the charger is subject to the recall, Nokia urges consumers to stop using it until the new charger arrives.

PetSmart stores are warning dog owners to protect their pooches from getting salmonella from some treats sold at its stores, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

Two types of Dentley beef hooves sold between Oct. 2 and Nov. 3 are being recalled over fears they could be contaminated with the bacteria. They are:

• Dentley's Bulk Cattle Hoof UPC# 73725703323
• Dentley's 10 Pack Beef Hooves UPC# 73725736055

Both have a use-by date of Oct. 14, 2012.

The FDA said that although the products were shipped from the Pet Carousel manufacturing plant to only three PetSmart regional distribution centers, the company was pulling the product from its stores nationwide as a precaution.

Consumers who have the products should not feed them to their pets, and should return them to any PetSmart store for a refund. Those who have fed them to their dogs and are concerned should contact a veterinarian.

Dogs do not necessarily show the same signs of salmonella poisoning as humans, but can suffer from diarrhea and have other symptoms.

For additional information, visit PetSmart's site, the FDA site or call PetSmart 1-888-839-9638.

Nearly one million Roman window shades are being recalled -- most sold by Bed Bath and Beyond and IKEA -- following three near strangulations, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Infants and young children can become entangled in the exposed inner cord of the shades. About 5.5 million similar shades were recalled in August. Repair kits are being offered to help consumers make the shades safe.

Dear WalletPop:

I bought a compact Galaxy refrigerator from Sears by phone. Milk sours in this compact refrigerator in 1-2 days and the temperature is always in the danger zone (50-65, and higher on the hottest days). Because of this, I have used a small zippered lunch-size container into which I put a small jar of milk and ice packs, and then put the whole thing in the Galaxy every night so that I can have coffee and breakfast upstairs while checking my email each morning.

I liked it because it is quiet. But a technician who handles warranty service for Sears told me it is quiet because there is no compressor in it and it cannot keep food cold enough to eat safely if there is no compressor. He said it isn't a refrigerator; it is a cooler. I paid about $145 for this item thinking it was a refrigerator. It says it is a refrigerator on the manual. The salesman said it was a refrigerator.

More than 600,000 Halloween flashlights sold at Target stores nationwide in August and September are being recalled following a story on WalletPop.com about them overheating and burning -- just days before kids head out for trick-or-treating.

The recall being announced today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission includes both the flashlights that WalletPop detailed on Oct. 1 -- a three-pack of mini flashlights -- as well as a second set of flashlights with stencils that project six different Hallloween images. Chicago TV station WBBM revealed the problems with those flashlights.

Consumers are asked to bring the Chinese-made flashlights back to any Target store for a full refund. The flashlights can overheat and melt, posing a risk of burns. Eight incidents were reported, including one child who was burned, the CPSC said.

Somebody wasn't paying attention when slapping on the labels at the Breyers ice cream factory.

Unilever United States Inc., Breyers' parent company, is recalling an undisclosed number of 1.5 quart tubs of "All Natural Cookies & Cream" ice cream that are carrying labels that say "All Natural Mint Chocolate Chip." The lids, however, correctly identify the ice cream inside.

Chenille bathrobes sold by the catalog retailer Blair are being blamed in the fire deaths of nine women, prompting the company to nearly double the number of items being recalled and expand it to all sorts of chenille clothing, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Most of the victims were cooking when their robes ignited. One was tending to a pellet stove. Nearly all the victims were women in their 70s and 80s. All the deaths were prior to the initial recall in April.

This is the second expansion of the recall of Blair robes, as the death toll has mounted. Added to the recall are 138,000 more chenille robes, jackets and tops. All of the recalled clothing was manufactured by A-One Textile and Towel of Pakistan, the CPSC said.

The additional items being recalled were sold by Blair between 2000 and 2007. A full list is available here.

Many of the products do not meet federal flammability standards, the CPSC said. Owners of the products are urged to stop wearing the recalled clothing immediately. Consumers can get either a full refund or a $50 gift card from Blair.

For more information, consumers can call Blair at (877) 392-7095 Monday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern Times, visit www.blair.com/recall, or e-mail blairproductrecall@blair.com.

It's a spooky looking house/candle holder intended to give you home a little extra Halloween flavor. As it turns out, it could add a bit of fright to the occasion since, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, it can ignite.

If you have one of the Haunted House Screen Tea Light Holders sold at Yankee Candle stores nationwide as well as on Yankeecandle.com since August, don't light that match. It turns out that the window panes can catch on fire when the tea light candles are in place. Three fires have been reported.

Yankee Candle, which has no obvious notice on its site that the product has been recalled, lists the product as sold out. The distributor, on the other hand, does note the recall on its site.

The candle holder is made of black metal. The windows have a transparent coating. The fire trap of a haunted house is 15 inches wide, 15 inches high and four inches deep. It can hold up to six tea light candles.

The Chinese-made product was distributed by Coyne's & Company, which said about 7,800 of the little houses are involved in this recall. Consumers are asked to stop using them immediately.

To get a refund, contact Coyne's & Company or Yankee Candle. Consumers who want more information should contact Coyne's at (800) 336-8666 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Thursday or e-mail custserv@coynes.com

Fresh off my encounter with burning Target Halloween flashlights, I came to find out that I have given refuge to yet another product prone to spontaneous outbursts of fire -- Handy Switch.

About 1.3 million of these remote control light switches are being recalled by Idea Village Products Corp., the U.S. distributor of the Chinese-made product. Nine fires have been reporting due to the switch overheating, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. So, if you've got one, unplug it -- now.

I understand that there are some risks involved with bringing cheap Chinese-made products into one's home. But here's the thing: I bought the switch to test it for reviews I do of As Seen on TV products. It was for work.

Advertisements trumpeting "Bernie Madoff Auction" ahead of events being held at hotels around the country appear to have little or no connection to the criminal or his victims, a WalletPop investigation found.

Instead, customers who show up are likely to find a garden-variety auction of items from estates and liquidations and, perhaps, the possibility that a victim of Madoff might sell something, too.

Consumers who were lured to the auctions recently in two Florida cities -- West Palm Beach and Naples -- noted the advertisements created an expectation for something that wasn't there.