Product recall - Seed bracelet made with string
Friday 23 December 2011
Did you buy one of these red and black bracelets from us within the last two years? If so please return them to us for a full refund.
It has come to our attention that the seeds are unsafe if swallowed, so we are recalling them as a precautionary measure.
We are contacting customers to warn them that the bracelet contains seeds that are poisonous if ingested.
Anyone who has bought such a bracelet from the Gift Shop at either ZSL London Zoo, or ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, in the last two years should return it for a full refund to:
Retail & Admissions Department, ZSL London Zoo, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY.
Please note that our online Shop has never sold this item and is not affected by this product recall.
For enquiries regarding returns and refunds, please call our shop team on 020 7449 6544.
Q&A
Q: How dangerous are these seeds?
A: The Health Protection Agency say:
"The National Poisons Information Service (NPIS), which is commissioned by the Health Protection Agency, has been made aware that bracelets are being sold in the United Kingdom that may contain seeds from the plant Abrus precatorius.
Seeds from Abrus precatorius contain the poison abrin which is very toxic. Ingestion of any quantity of chewed, crushed or drilled (such as in a necklace) seeds should be regarded seriously because, if fully absorbed, even small amounts of abrin can be fatal.
"However, seeds are not expected to cause serious problems if swallowed whole and not chewed.
"There may be a delay of up to three days before symptoms e.g. vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhoea occur. Anyone who is suspected of ingesting seeds from this plant should seek medical advice immediately.
"Information on the specialist management of patients suspected of poisoning is available to healthcare professionals through NPIS, the poisons advisory service for frontline clinicians across the UK."
Q: Are all seed bracelets sold by our shops affected?
A: No, only the one shown in this image, with red and black seeds, and refunds will only be given on this bracelet.
Q: What should customers do with the product if they have it? Is it safe to bin it?
A: We would like it returned to us for safe disposal . We will refund the cost of the product and postage incurred in sending it back to us.
If you return the bracelet to us by post, and include your name and contact details, we will contact you to arrange the refund, including the cost of postage as shown on the envelope. Please send returned bracelets to: Retail & Admissions Department, ZSL London Zoo, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY.
Please enclose your ZSL receipt with the bracelet.
Q: Do I need a receipt to claim the refund you are offering?
A: No, we will accept the bracelet without a ZSL receipt. If you didn’t buy the bracelet from us, we would ask that you return the bracelet to the place that you purchased it and request a refund from them. We will not accept bracelets that are presented to us accompanied by receipts from other retailers.
