Product safety reportOPSS
Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy safety warning over a suffocation risk
Product Safety Report for Gel Water Beads presenting a serious risk of asphyxiation.
Stop using it now. For sleep, a baby needs a firm, flat mattress with no pillows, padding or loose items in the cot.
Product image from the OPSS safety notice
Check your product
Only products that match these details are covered. Have your pack in front of you.
1 identifier listed for this notice.
Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy
- Item or listing codeOn the box, the label, or the order page where you bought it.
- p54594684
What to do now
Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy poses a suffocation risk.
- Stop using it now. For sleep, a baby needs a firm, flat mattress with no pillows, padding or loose items in the cot.
- Store it where children cannot reach it.
- Because the product was found unsafe on an online marketplace, use the platform’s order page to contact the seller.
- If you cannot reach the seller, Trading Standards can be told through Citizens Advice.
Why it matters. Babies cannot move away from something covering their face. Pillows, padded sleeping bags and soft items in the cot are linked to sleep deaths, and that is why many of these products fail UK safety rules.
If someone has been hurt
Look out for
- a baby who seems to struggle to breathe
Get help urgently
- a baby or child who is not breathing or has turned blue — call 999 immediately
This is general information based on NHS public guidance, not medical advice. In an emergency call 999. For urgent advice use NHS 111 (NHS 24 on 111 in Scotland) or, in Northern Ireland, your GP or out-of-hours service.
Getting your money back
A product safety report usually means the product was bought online and the marketplace has removed the listing. Ask the seller for a refund through the platform where you bought it; many marketplaces have their own buyer protection.
If you paid by credit card and it cost over £100, Section 75 may apply; otherwise your bank may be able to raise a chargeback.
From the official notice
Published by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (2604-0003). Quoted as issued.
Summary
Product Safety Report for Gel Water Beads presenting a serious risk of asphyxiation.
The risk
The product presents a serious risk of asphyxiation. If the product is swallowed in its hydrated form, it can block a young child’s airway.
OPSS has published a Product Safety Alert for water beads, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-safety-alert-water-beads-psa7.
The product does not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.
Action taken
The listing has been removed by the online marketplace (OnBuy).
Advice to consumers
We recommend owners stop using this product immediately. Contact the distributor you purchased from to request redress.
The online seller has advised customers who purchased the product via OnBuy of the hazards posed by the product.
The listing has been removed by the online marketplace (OnBuy).
Additional information
PSD notification number: 2604-0003
Notified by: Office for Product Safety and Standards
Product description
Plastic tub of multi-coloured water beads. “Orbeez” is referenced in the product listing as above, but not on the product packaging.
Open the OPSS notice
Questions
Why has Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy been reported?
Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy poses a suffocation risk. Babies cannot move away from something covering their face. Pillows, padded sleeping bags and soft items in the cot are linked to sleep deaths, and that is why many of these products fail UK safety rules.
How do I know if my product is affected?
Compare the item or listing code on your product with the details listed under “Check your product” on this page. Only items that match are covered by the notice.
What should I do now?
Stop using it now. For sleep, a baby needs a firm, flat mattress with no pillows, padding or loose items in the cot. Store it where children cannot reach it.
Can I get a refund or a repair?
A product safety report usually means the product was bought online and the marketplace has removed the listing. Ask the seller for a refund through the platform where you bought it; many marketplaces have their own buyer protection. If you paid by credit card and it cost over £100, Section 75 may apply; otherwise your bank may be able to raise a chargeback.
Where was Gel Water Beads 50,000pcs sold on OnBuy sold?
The notice names OnBuy. Products bought elsewhere are covered too if they match the details listed.
