Warning over popular plush toy sold in UK that poses ‘serious risk of suffocation’

A WARNING has been issued over a popular plush toy sold in the UK that poses a “serious risk of suffocation”. Shoppers who bought the product are advised to check a recent safety alert about suffocation risks, as the item was originally marketed as a sleep pillow. Shoppers are warned over a popular plush toy that poses a “serious risk of suffocation” Credit: Ciejek, Monika (Office for Produ Baby Sleep Pillows can pose a serious risk of suffocation or overheating in babies under 12 months (stock) Credit: inarik The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a product safety report for a plush toy sold via Amazon, as the previous marketing of the item posed a serious risk of suffocation to young children. The 100cm Jumbo Soft Plush Elephant was originally marketed as a sleep pillow for babies. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! According to the OPSS, “if used as a pillow in an unsupervised sleep environment, it could present a serious risk of suffocation to a child under 12 months”. The product is described as a “soft plush elephant with pink feet and ears”. The model number is 13022023 and the Amazon ASIN is B084GQXFC8. As originally marketed, the product did not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Consumers who bought the item while it was marketed as a Baby Sleep Pillow are warned of the risks of suffocation and overheating with these items. Magic Toy Shop Ltd, which sells the item through the shopping platform, amended the Amazon product listing on July 22, 2025. Most read in The Sun It removed references to the product being used as a pillow, to ensure that it is marketed solely as a soft toy. OPSS has warned any consumers that bought the item before July 22, 2025 to review the Product Safety Alert and NHS safer sleep guidance to “ensure that the product is not used as a baby sleep aid or placed in a baby’s sleep environment”. The Product Safety Alert for Baby Sleep Pillows was recently published by OPSS and highlights the risks these items can pose to young children. According to the report, Baby Sleep Pillows are “products which are marketed or intended to be used as pillows or cushions for babies to sleep on or with, or to be placed on or with, unsupervised”. The products “have been linked to child fatalities in the UK and overseas”. The main risks posed by these items are “suffocation and overheating” which can lead to “serious injury or death in babies”. Suffocation can occur when “soft, squishy materials can cover a baby’s mouth and nose if they are pressed against it and could cause the baby to suffocate”. Overheating can occur when “a baby is sleeping on a soft surface that their head can sink into, heat is prevented from escaping and they can get too hot”. The alert outlines that there is a “higher risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) if a baby overheats”. OPSS has advised those that have bought items marketed as Baby Sleep Pillows not to use the products for babies under 12 months and avoid placing the pillow in a cot or crib with a young baby. It also reminds consumers to follow NHS safe sleep advice. According to OPSS, “if the product was marketed for baby sleep, or to be used unattended, you should contact the business that supplied the product”. It outlines that “you may be entitled to redress under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024“. Comment now