A massive recall of approximately 7.5 million "Baby Shark" bath toys has been initiated following numerous reports of lacerations and puncture wounds suffered by children during playtime.
El Segundo-based toymaker Zuru announced the recall, targeting both full-size and mini versions of its popular robotic baby shark toys, which feature hard plastic top fins that pose potential injury risks.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a total of 12 injuries related to Zuru's full-sized Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys have been documented thus far.
The incidents occurred when children inadvertently sat or fell on the recalled products, resulting in injuries that required stitches or medical attention in nine cases. In light of these alarming reports, Zuru has taken swift action to prioritize consumer safety.
While injuries have only been reported with these full-sized toys so far, Zuru is also recalling Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys "out of an abundance of caution."
Consumers in possession of the recalled toys are instructed to stop using them immediately and contact Zuru for a full refund. To get the refund, customers are asked to cut off or bend the tail fin, write "recalled" and a registration code on the body of the baby shark and upload a photo on a site dedicated to the recall.
The recalled products can be identified by model numbers and date codes. Zuru's Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys and Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys were sold in-person and online at chains including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and TJX Companies from May 2019 through March 2023.
In a company announcement, Zuru noted that the recall only impacts the versions of the baby shark toys with a hard plastic fin. The newest toys, which have a silicone fin, are not part of the recall, Zuru said.
"We want to assure our customers that we are committed to the highest levels of safety and quality of all our products, and we have implemented measures to prevent future incidents by working to promptly remove these products from retail and replace them with a newly designed product," Zuru wrote.
