5 September 2007

Ministry of Consumer Affairs alerts consumers to Mattel toy recall

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has been informed by Mattel of a recall of toys made in China. The Ministry has contacted all major retailers and the New Zealand Retailers Association to ensure that they are aware of the recall and are taking action.

The recall covers four different Barbie playsets which are listed below.

The Ministry has been informed by Mattel that 285 of these sets were distributed in New Zealand.

No Barbie dolls are included in the recall.

As with the previous recalls there have been no reports of injuries. The recall is a result of an internal audit undertaken by Mattel.

According to Mattel, the toy animals and dinner sets were painted by sub-contractors in China using unapproved paint.

Consumers should immediately take the affected toys away from children.

The toys affected by the voluntary recall are:

PLEASE NOTE: NO Barbie® dolls are included within the recall

Mattel has requested that consumers do not return recalled product to retail stores.

Products should be returned to Mattel for a refund. There are three ways to contact Mattel to determine if your product is affected:

1. Visit Mattel's website
2. Email Mattel via – infoaust@mattel.com
3. Call Mattel New Zealand: 0800-174-063 between Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm

Photographs of the toys covered by the Mattel recall

The four Mattel Barbie®-branded toys being recalled in New Zealand were sold between November 2006 and August 2007 and include the following products: