May 10, 2001

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA Announces Recall of Snuggle® Teeny Bean Bears Included with Fabric Softener

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA, of Greenwich, Conn., is voluntarily recalling about 150,000 Snuggle® Teeny Bean Bears with a nightcap and pom-pom. The yellow pom-pom can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Unilever Home and Personal Care USA has received one report of an infant who put the pom-pom in his mouth, gagged and began to choke before his mother removed the pom-pom.

The bear was included as a promotional item in Snuggle®, Cuddle Up®, Fresh Rain^TM, and Sweet Slumber^TM fabric softener products sold in twin packs. Each twin pack contains a bottle of liquid fabric softener and a box of softener sheets along with the bear. The bean bear is 5 inches tall and wears a blue nightcap with a yellow moon and star design. At the end of the nightcap is a yellow pom-pom. A label on the bear reads in part "©2001 Lever Brothers Company, Made In China."
Wal-Mart Stores nationwide sold the twin packs containing the bear with the pom-pom on the cap from March 2001 through April 2001 for between $7 and $8.

Consumers should immediately remove the bear's pom-pom to eliminate the choking hazard. For additional information, consumers can contact Snuggle at (800)-598-5005 between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's web site at Snuggletime.com. Unilever Contact: Stephen Milton (212) 418-8531