Pekkle recalls baby PJs sold at Costco after multiple complaints, 1 minor injury
Mom believes this wouldn't have happened if her 2013 complaint had been taken seriously
Three separate cases of snaps falling off Pekkle infant sleepwear — including one where a baby was scratched — have prompted Costco to pull the product from all Canadian stores.
Canadian brand Pekkle has also begun a voluntary recall of the popular baby pyjamas.
Pekkle says the loose snaps are a potential choking hazard or could cause other harm to an infant.
On Friday, both Costco and Pekkle said the sleepwear had been pulled following a single incident on April 11 — a complaint from a parent that a child's skin was scratched by one of the metal snaps when it detached from a sleeper.
3 cases of detached snaps
However, Pekkle now reports that Costco had actually received three complaints in April involving detached snaps. Only one of the cases resulted in an injury.
CBC News has also learned that there have been other reported cases of Pekkle sleepers with defects, and that one of them also involved a snap which scratched a baby. However, the brand insists those cases are in no way related to the current string of complaints.
Pekkle is owned by Montreal-based company Lemur. The infant sleepwear is manufactured in China and sold exclusively at Costco stores in Canada.
Pekkle says the current three complaints only involve some of its infant sleepers but, as a cautionary move, it's recalling all models sold at Costco between April 29, 2016, and April 14, 2017.
Pekkle recommends that affected customers immediately stop using the garments and return them to Costco for a full refund.
The brand says its recall covers all its baby sleepwear during the period because, even if it's not defective, worn fabric surrounding the snap area could cause the snaps to fall off.
Taking it seriously?
Pekkle has also posted a dedicated website so that Costco patrons can learn more about the recall.
"Pekkle is taking this situation very seriously. The company's team is currently conducting a thorough internal investigation to find the sources of the problem," said spokesperson Raphaël Melançon in an email to CBC News. "The safety of our customers is Pekkle's top priority."
However, one parent questions that claim. In 2013, Shawna Matthews in Pasadena, N.L., also experienced a problem with a Pekkle sleeper snap that scratched her baby.
Matthews complained to both Costco and Pekkle and thought they had taken her case seriously. But after hearing about the latest recall, she now questions if anyone had been truly listening.
"I couldn't believe it was happening again," says Matthews after hearing the latest news. "I was given assurances it wouldn't happen again."
Shouldn't have happened
In August 2013, Matthews discovered a 2.5 inch scratch on the leg of her one-year old baby, Cohen. The injury was caused by the bottom part of a snap on Cohen's Pekkle sleeper.
Matthews says the snap part wasn't properly secured to the sleeper and, as a result, a sharp piece was sticking out.
Cohen's injury wasn't severe, but Matthews believes it could have been worse if the wayward piece had pierced his skin. She also says such a defect never should have made it to market.
"When you're the mom of a baby, there's certain things you don't want to have to worry about. And their clothes injuring them shouldn't be one of the things."
They thanked me repeatedly for letting them know and...told me they'd talk to their manufacturer to make sure it didn't happen again- Shawna Matthews, who made 2013 complaint
Both Costco and Pekkle promised Matthews they would investigate the situation.
She acknowledges that her case is slightly different from the latest loose snap incidents. But Matthews believes the current cases wouldn't have happened if Pekkle had kept its promise to put measures in place to prevent potentially unsafe sleepers from hitting store shelves.
"They thanked me repeatedly for letting them know and for bringing it to their attention, and told me they'd talk to their manufacturer to make sure it didn't happen again," says Matthews.
Now she feels duped. "I sort of want to take the company to task a little bit because they're claiming, 'Oh we take these matters very seriously,'" says Matthews.
"My question is, why wasn't it taken seriously [four] years ago?"
Pekkle told CBC News that it conducted a thorough investigation after Matthews's complaint.
"The investigation and tests showed that this was an isolated incident back then and didn't require further action," said Melançon.
Costco said that it referred Matthews to Pekkle and that, as far as it understood, she was satisfied with the outcome.
Reports to Health Canada
There have also been other incidents. Health Canada tells CBC News that Pekkle's owner, Lemur, has reported five cases in total involving defective sleepers since 2011 and that one of the reports involved multiple cases.
Pekkle spokesperson Melançon could not confirm at this time if the multiple case report is the current one involving three complaints about loose snaps.
He did say that any reported cases not related to the current voluntary recall were isolated incidents that didn't necessarily involve snaps.
Health Canada has not issued a formal recall relating to any of the Pekkle sleepwear.
The agency says it's reviewing the information it has to date to determine if further action is required.
Costco has given no indication when Pekkle sleepers might return to stores. The retail giant says it's working closely with the brand's owner, Lemur, on the recall.
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