TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods sold potentially dangerous products after recalls

Retailers TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods sold dangerous products even after the items were recalled, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and their parent, TJX Companies. The products included sleepers linked to infant deaths, speakers that damaged property after exploding and Ivanka Trump-branded scarves that did not meet federal flammability standards.

Nineteen different recalled products were sold by the three retail chains even after their recalls, which took place from 2014 to 2019, said the federal agency and TJX, which operates TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods. The discount retail chain operates runs roughly 4,500 stores in nine countries, including the U.S., which has 1,271 TJ Maxx, 1,125 Marshalls and 807 HomeGoods stores.

It remains uncertain whether TJX would face fines or sanctions for selling recalled merchandise, said the regulator, which is focusing on getting the recalled products out of consumers hands.

The safety commission "first works to get a recall in place and then goes back to see if any laws were violated," a spokesperson for the regulator told CBS MoneyWatch in an email, adding that the agency will "look to see if any additional action is necessary."

TJX apologized and urged customers who purchased any of the recalled products to stop using them and return the items for a refund or repairs. 

"We deeply regret that in some instances, recalled products were not properly removed from our sales floors despite the recall processes that we had in place. We are taking appropriate steps to strengthen these processes moving forward," a spokesperson said in an email. 

Infant sleeper risks

The products that remained for sale even after the recall include two infant sleepers and a related accessory. At least 73 infant deaths have been linked to infant-inclined sleep products, several of which have been recalled. The CPSC in late October urged parents against using infant sleep products with inclined seat backs of more than 10 degrees. 

Another product sold after its headline-grabbing recall in 2016 involves hoverboards that caught fire or exploded more than 40 times, with 16 reports of injuries or severe property damage. Scarves sold under the Ivanka Trump brand that fell short of federal flammability standards for clothing also continued to be sold despite being recalled in 2016

Other products involved in the warning include portable speakers initially recalled in May after reports of five exploding, causing property damage in four cases. Another involved a rattle recalled in March 2017 
after 42 reports of the plastic disc breaking and releasing small beads, including two reports of beads found in children's mouths and three reports of gagging.

The products sold at TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods after their recall dates include:

• Inclined sleeper accessory for Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards. Infant fatalities reported while using other inclined sleep products. Contact: Fisher-Price online at www.service.mattel.com and click on "Recalls & Safety Alerts" or at 800-432-5437 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.

• Portable speakers. Hydrogen gas can leak from the portable speaker battery when charging and the speaker can burst, posing an explosion hazard. Contact: ION Audio toll-free at 833-682-0371 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.ionaudio.com and click on recalls located at the top of the page.

• Rocking sleepers. Infant fatalities have occurred in the Rocking Sleepers, after the babies rolled from their back to their stomach while unrestrained, or under other circumstances. Contact: Kids II toll-free at 866-869-7954 from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit www.kids2.com and click on "Important Recall Information".

• Rock 'n Play sleepers. Infant fatalities have occurred in Rock 'n Play Sleepers, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances. Contact: Fisher-Price online at www.service.mattel.com and click on "Recalls & Safety Alerts" or toll-free at 866-812-6518 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

• Glass and ceramic drawer knobs. The glass and ceramic drawer knobs can break or shatter when pulled, posing a laceration hazard. Contact: T.J. Maxx at 800-926-6299 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or online at www.tjmaxx.com and click on Contact Us at the bottom of the page. Marshalls at 888-627-7425 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or online at www.marshalls.com and click on Contact Us at the bottom of the page. HomeGoods at 800-888-0776 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or online at www.homegoods.com and click on Customer Service at the bottom.

• Bistro chairs. The chair's seat can break, posing a fall hazard. Contact: Jimco Lamp & Manufacturing Company at 800-643-0092 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at http://jimcolamp.com/ and click on recall information at the bottom.

• Swivel Barstools. The wood joints on the barstool can break, posing a fall hazard. Contact: HomeGoods at 800-888-0776 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.homegoods.com and click on Customer Service. Marshalls toll-free at 888-627-7425 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.marshalls.com and click on Customer Service. T.J. Maxx at 800-926-6299 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.tjmaxx.com.

• Children's cardigan sets.The cardigan's toggle button can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. Contact: Carter's Consumer Affairs department at 800-692-4674 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.carters.com and click on Product Recalls at the bottom of the page.

• Sharper Image and Frigidaire mandoline slicers. The small blades in the julienne slicer attachment can separate from the plastic assembly, posing a laceration hazard. Contact: Premier Kitchen Products at 800-304-4035 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at recall@pkpny.com or online at www.pkp-recall.com.

• Glass beer mugs. The glass beer mug can break if heated or used with hot liquid, posing burn and laceration hazards. Contact: HomeGoods at 800-888-0776 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.homegoods.com and click on Product Info/Recalls at the bottom of the page.

• Coffee presses. The glass beakers of the coffee presses can break during normal use, posing a laceration hazard to users. Contact: Bradshaw International toll-free at 877-614-9571 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.bradshawintl.com and click on Recalls.  
• Oball rattles. The clear plastic disc on the outside of the Oball rattles can break, releasing small beads, posing a choking hazard to young children. Contact: Kids II toll-free at 800-230-8190 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  ET Monday through Friday or visit www.kidsii.com and click on Recalls at the bottom of the page.
  

• Cutlery knives. The blade on the Contemporary Cutlery knives can break during use, posing a laceration hazard. Contact: Calphalon at 800-809-7267 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.calphalon.com and click on Customer Support at the bottom of the page.

• Self-balancing scooters/hoverboards. The lithium-ion battery packs in the self-balancing scooters/hoverboards can overheat, posing a risk of the products smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. Contact: Swagway toll-free at 844-299-0625 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at https://swagway.com and click on Product Recall.

• Foldable lounge chairs.The chairs can collapse unexpectedly, posing a fall and injury hazard. Contact: T.J. Maxx at 800-926-6299 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.tjmaxx.com then click on Product Recalls at the bottom or Marshalls toll-free at 888-627-7425 or online at www.marshalls.com and click on Customer Service at the bottom of the page.

• Ivanka Trump scarves. Women's scarves do not meet the federal flammability standards for clothing textiles, posing a burn risk. Contact: GBG Accessories Group toll-free at 888-771-9047 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or via email at IvankaTrumpRecall@globalbrandsgroup.com for more information.  
• Children's light-Up watches. The case-back of the watch can detach and expose the interior to water, posing a risk of skin irritation, redness, rashes or chemical burns. Contact: T.J. Maxx at 800-926-6299 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.tjmaxx.com then click on Contact Us. Marshalls at 888-627-7425 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or online at www.marshalls.com and click on Contact Us at the bottom of the page.

• Foldable wood patio chairs. The chair can unexpectedly tip over when a consumer sits on the edge of the seat, posing a fall hazard. Contact: Linon Home Décor Products at 800-262-1852 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.linon.com and click on the Contact Us link for more information.

• Gardeners Eden light-up decorations. Exposed wiring near the battery box can lead to a short circuit, posing a fire hazard. Contact: TJX at 800-926-6299 Monday through Friday or online at www.tjmaxx.com, then click on Product Recalls at the bottom of the page and at www.marshalls.com and www.homegoods.com. Roughly 1,200 units of recalled products were sold to consumers, according to a release posted by the CPSC last week.