Parents have been strongly advised to discontinue the use of a popular baby booster seat following its removal from shelves on Tuesday. A recall notice has been issued for the Maxi-Cosi Family Fix Slide Pro Base due to serious child safety concerns.
Safety Defect Details
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has reported that the product, which features an indicator to confirm correct installation, may erroneously display a green signal even when the car seat is not fully secured to the base. According to the recall notice: “As a result, a user may believe the seat is properly connected when it is not. This could cause the seat to move or detach, potentially injuring the occupant. The product does not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.”
Scope of the Recall
Although the OPSS has classified the risk level as unknown, the recall applies to units manufactured in China between 6 September and 24 March. The product is designed for children from birth up to four years of age, as stated on the company’s website.
Manufacturer’s Response
Maxi-Cosi has issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to safety: “Your child's safety drives every decision we make at Maxi-Cosi. During a recent user test conducted as part of our continuous improvement efforts to enhance ease of use, we identified a potential misuse scenario involving a visual indicator on our new Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix base. We have initiated a voluntary product recall as part of our ongoing commitment to the highest possible standards of child safety, product quality, and ease of use.”
Consumer Guidance
Customers are urged to verify whether their seat is affected by entering the product model reference (Ref) and manufacturing date (Date) on the Maxi-Cosi website. If the seat is part of the recall, they should stop using it immediately.
Expert Commentary
Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, expressed grave concern: “It is incredibly concerning that Maxi-Cosi is recalling this car seat base due to a risk that it could cause the seat to move or detach during use. Anyone with a Maxi-Cosi car seat can use the brand’s online tool to check if their car seat is affected, and if so, they should stop using it immediately. Maxi-Cosi and its suppliers must urgently investigate how this has happened and ensure the necessary safeguards are in place to prevent potentially unsafe products from reaching consumers in future.”
