AN urgent alert has been issued to Irish parents as a popular babywear item has been recalled from Dunnes Stores due to safety risks.
The retail giant has recalled over 1,500 pairs of baby socks.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission alerted the recall due to safety concerns.
One concerned parent called the safety bosses after a loose thread from one of the socks had wrapped tightly around their baby’s toe, leading to swelling.
This situation required a hospital visit, and surgical intervention was necessary to remove the thread.
In response, product safety officials from the CCPC reached out to Dunnes Stores to inform them of the danger, and the retailer recalled 1,564 five-pair packs of baby socks.
The CCPC said: “The risk presented by the product is injury.
“While wearing the product, the loose thread from the product may wrap around the baby’s toe causing swelling and a lack of blood flow to the toe.”
This product was sold in Dunnes Stores, both online and in stores.
The socks were removed from sale in December 2024, but approximately 1,564 affected products remain in the Republic of Ireland.
The style number is 7302430.
The serial number is 5099015690097; the size is 0-2½.
Grainne Griffin from the CCPC said they will always prioritise issues concerning consumer safety.
She said: “There are 1,564 five-pair packs of pink marl baby socks being recalled by Dunnes today, following a call to our helpline.
“We are grateful to this parent for taking the time to alert us to this issue. Calls to our helpline guide our work and we will always prioritise issues concerning the safety of consumers.
“Dunnes Stores has engaged constructively with us and have recalled these baby socks. If you still have the packaging, check the product code and batch number. “
The CCPC said customers should stop using the product immediately and keep it out of reach from children.
They also said buyers should contact Dunnes Stores, as they will be given a refund at the point of sale.
BEACH BALL RECALL
Meanwhile, a beach ball is also being recalled in Ireland.
The affected Uppblåsbar toy was sold through Shein marketplace.
The toy features an excessive amount of phthalates, a group of chemicals commonly used in plastic to make it harder to break.
It has also been linked to various health concerns, particularly in children.
They are known as endocrine disruptors, which can lead to a hormonal imbalance and reproductive issues such as reduced fertility.
The type/number of model is GU01404 and the barcode is B240425141217.
The brand and batch number are unknown.
THE HISTORY OF DUNNES STORES
DUNNES Stores opened its first store on Patrick Street in Cork in 1944 – and it was an instant hit.
Shoppers from all over the city rushed to the store to snap up quality clothing at pre-war prices in Ireland’s first ‘shopping frenzy’.
During the excitement, a window was forced in and the police had to be called to help control the crowds hoping to bag founder Ben Dunne’s ‘Better Value’ bargains.
Dunnes later opened more stores in the 1950s and began to sell groceries in 1960 – starting with apples and oranges.
The retailer said: “Fruit was expensive at the time and Ben Dunne yet again offered Better Value than anyone else in town.
“Over time, our food selection has grown and that spirit of good value has remained strong.
“Now we offer a wide range of carefully-sourced foods from both local Irish suppliers and overseas.”
The retailer’s first Dublin store opened its doors in 1957 on Henry Street and a super store on South Great Georges Street was unveiled in 1960.
They added: “In 1971, our first Northern Irish store opened, and many others soon followed.
“Expansion continued in the 1980s in Spain, and later into Scotland and England.”
Dunnes now has 142 stores and employs 15,000 people.
