Protect Our Children
Asda says customers don't want fire retardant pyjamas
 |
| SCARRED FOR LIFE: Liza Mitchard-Harrison with burns victim Daniel |
SUPERMARKET company Asda has refused to remove flammable pyjamas from its shelves - even after a young boy was left scarred for life after the pair he was wearing caught fire.
Two-year-old Daniel Mitchard-Harrison suffered horrific burns following an accident when his George at Asda pyjamas were set alight by a spark from a fire.
The supermarket told The Northern Echo it would look into creating a new line of children's pyjamas "straight away".
But in an extraordinary U-turn, Asda has now told The Northern Echo it will not be making all its children's pyjamas flame-retardant - because its customers are against it.
The newspaper approached Asda after starting the Protect Our Children campaign to close the loop-hole in the law which means that while nightdresses and dressing gowns have to be flame-resistant, pyjamas have been exempt.
Daniel's case highlighted how dangerous pyjamas that are not flame-retardant can be.
The youngster's pyjama bottoms caught fire after a spark from a wood burner landed on the leg of the shorts, and they were ablaze within seconds.
Doctors said that only the quick thinking of Daniel's mother, who ripped the blazing clothes off him and put him into a cold bath, saved his life.
Although Daniel was wearing the 100 per cent cotton pyjamas for less than a minute, a fifth of his body was burned.
The youngster, from Dalton, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, suffered 15 per cent full thickness burns and has endured a blood transfusion and a series of skin grafts.
But despite Daniel's case, Asda claims a focus group, consisting of customers and members of the public, told it they do not want to buy flame-retardant children's pyjamas.
The focus groups told it that customers do not want the miniscule amount of chemicals found in flame-retardant fabrics next to their children's skin.
But the results of The Northern Echo's own survey tell a different story. We asked 500 Asda customers and members of the public whether they would prefer Asda to sell chemically-treated flame-retardant pyjamas or untreated pyjamas.
Our results found that nearly four out of five people would prefer to buy flame-retardant pyjamas for children - regardless of the chemicals used, in direct contradiction to Asda's findings.
Seventy-nine people - one in six of those surveyed - said they would not want to buy flame-retardant pyjamas because of the chemicals used. The remaining four per cent were undecided or had no opinion.
Asda has refused to let The Northern Echo see a copy of the focus group's findings on the grounds it contained "commercially sensitive information".
The supermarket also said it had re-tested its pyjamas since the incident and the garments had passed all the required safety tests.
Ed Watson, of Asda, said: "We looked into it and asked customers if they wanted us to put flame-retardant coatings on pyjamas, but the resounding response was 'No'," he said.
"We have also spoken to customers about applying a flame- retardant coating, but the overwhelming response has been that parents don't want chemicals next to the skin of their children.
"It is important to note that incidents of this type are extremely rare - this in fact was the only incident we have come across in our 16-year history.
"Any natural fibre will ignite if exposed to naked flames, even if coated with a flame retardant coating. The EU is looking at more stringent safety legislation and we plan to be the first clothing retailer to adopt it."
'No evidence of health threat'
The Northern Echo asked Professor Colin Berry, a pathologist and lecturer at the Institute of Children's Health, for his opinion on whether chemicals used in flame-retardant fabrics were harmful.
He said he knew of no study that had shown that the amounts of chemicals used in clothes were harmful to humans and flame-retardant fabrics should be used to protect children.
"The danger is entirely theoretical. The amount that transfers into the child is minuscule," he said. "Flame-retardants are used in all sorts of things, and should be.The risk-benefit balance is strongly in favour of putting flame-retardants in clothes."
Govenment advisor pledges urgent review
THE Government's top solicitor has pledged to urgently review the loop-hole in the law which means children's pyjamas do not have to be flame-retardant.
Vera Baird, solicitor general and MP for Redcar, said she would have "an urgent and very close look" at the law on children's nightwear.
Ms Baird, who advises the Government on legislation, was speaking in response to Asda's decision not to make all their children's pyjamas flame-retardant - and advised the supermarket to change their policy on nightwear immediately.
She said: "The law requires Asda nightdresses and dressing gowns to be flame retardant for the obvious reason - to keep children safer, so why are pyjama-clad children not to be safe?
"What parent would not put their children into safe pyjamas when the chemical that limit flame-spread are harmless enough to go into children's nighties?
"I advise Asda to change their apparently illogical policy now."
9:04am Monday 16th July 2007
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: SD, GB on 7:10am Mon 15 Oct 07
What they mean is they don't know what to do with the stock they so unwisely ordered. It's nonsensical and I don't believe that the majority in their survey wouldn't want safety for their child. If that's the case then they as well as Asda should be prosecuted.
What they mean is they don't know what to do with the stock they so unwisely ordered. It's nonsensical and I don't believe that the majority in their survey wouldn't want safety for their child. If that's the case then they as well as Asda should be prosecuted.
Posted by: jen, co.durham on 9:12am Thu 13 Mar 08
seems like asda are covering up for themselves. Asda obviously isnt interested in childrens safety, only that of their pockets and profits they make. i definately wont be shopping there again. especially for my childrens clothes!!
seems like asda are covering up for themselves. Asda obviously isnt interested in childrens safety, only that of their pockets and profits they make. i definately wont be shopping there again. especially for my childrens clothes!!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
