As part of the Prosafe Joint Action Market Surveillance of Cots and Travel Cots, the Technical Regulations Division within the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority has tested a number of cots found on the market locally.

Results from the accredited laboratory have shown that the traditional cot, ‘Baby Italia – Dalia’, and the travel cot, ‘Quatro Giraffe’, pose a serious risk to consumers, infants and babies.

Baby Italia – Dalia

The Baby Italia – Dalia cot is not compliant with the applicable standard since when the moveable sides are in the open position, the locking mechanism does not engage automatically. Moreover, the adjacent slats of the cot base are placed too wide apart.

The Quatro Giraffe travel cot was found to have zip pullers removed with a force less than that stipulated by the relevant standard.

In addition, the mattress base folds with a force less than that required by the standard. Hence, both products do not comply with the relevant European EN 716-1:2008+A1:2013 standard.

Testing has revealed that the changing unit of the ‘Baby max Sienna’ travel cot by Chipolino Ltd poses a serious risk to consumers.

The restraint system located inside the changing unit has a free length greater than what is stipulated by the standard.

Additionally, there are gaps between the changing unit and the cot that are not compliant with the necessary standards.

Furthermore, the restraint system located inside the changing unit, when at its maximum, has a free length that falls into the cot. Hence, this product is not EN 12221:2009 + A1:2013 compliant.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall on all cribs of the DaVinci brand. A metal bracket that connects the mattress support to the crib can break, creating an uneven sleeping surface or a gap.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall on all cribs of the DaVinci brand

If this occurs, a baby can become entrapped in the crib, fall or suffer lacerations from the broken metal bracket.

Consumers who had bought these cots should refrain from using them and return them to the retailer they bought them from. Retailers are obliged to redress consumers returning these products according to law.

Economic operators should remove these products from the market and return them to their supplier. Enforcement action will be taken against those operators who are found to provide these products to consumers during future inspections.

Any person who requires further information or has any queries on this issue may contact the Technical Regulations Division within the MCCAA (tel: 2395 2000).

odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt

Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.