Category: Consumer Products Industry

From cribs and crib bumpers to inclined sleepers, the safety of infant sleep products remains a red-hot topic among consumer watchdogs, regulators, pediatricians, and even Members of Congress. Consumers have always trusted that products for children on store shelves were safe. But recent events indicate that may not always be true. And there will be consequences. The CPSC last year

Cosmetic companies have been a target of consumer activists for years. Organizations like Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have run campaigns that resulted in companies reformulating products or defending themselves publicly and in courtrooms across the country. As far as we can tell, these attacks won’t change; in fact, we can expect them to intensify as regulators tighten their control over the companies.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is scheduled to hold its annual Priorities Hearing in Bethesda, MD in less than a month. There’s a good chance the April 15th event will be postponed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. But even if the hearing takes place, there’s another factor that could make the hearing less meaningful: the Trump administration’s nomination of Dr. Nancy Beck to CPSC Chairperson.

First and foremost, we hope you and everyone close to you are well. We’re living through an unprecedented time and hopefully you’re able to find some calm and maintain connections. Like each of you, we’ve been working through the COVID-19 crisis, encouraging workers to follow the recommendations of federal, state and local health officials. But as crisis management professionals, we also can’t help but think about the long game.

Contigo last week re-announced its six-month old recall of kids cleanable water bottles because the drinking spout could detach, posing a choking hazard to children. Like any product recall involving a children’s product, the announcement is generating a lot of media coverage and alarm among parenting and childcare circles.