Product safety reportOPSS
Mr. Pen Water Beads safety warning over a suffocation risk
Product Safety Report for Mr. Pen Water Beads presenting a high risk of asphyxiation.
Take it out of the cot or pram now, and put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface.
Product image from the OPSS safety notice
What to do now
The hazard with Mr. Pen Water Beads is suffocation or asphyxiation.
- Take it out of the cot or pram now, and put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface.
- Keep it away from babies and young children.
- This is a safety report rather than a manufacturer recall: the listing has been taken down, but the seller may not contact you. Get in touch with the seller through the marketplace.
- Report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service if the seller does not respond.
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
Contact the seller through your order history and say that the product is the subject of an OPSS safety report. Keep screenshots of the listing and your order.
If the seller does not respond, the marketplace’s own dispute process or your card provider is the next step.
From the official notice
Published by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (2512-0286). Quoted as issued.
Summary
Product Safety Report for Mr. Pen Water Beads presenting a high risk of asphyxiation.
The risk
The product presents a high 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 General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
Action taken
The listing has been removed by the online marketplace (Desertcart).
Advice to consumers
The listing has been removed by the online marketplace (Desertcart).
We recommend owners stop using this product immediately and keep it out of the reach of young children. Contact the distributor you purchased from to request redress.
Additional information
PSD notification number: 2512-0286
Notified by: Office for Product Safety and Standards
Product description
Rainbow coloured mix of water gel beads for vases packaged in a vacuum sealed plastic bag.
Open the OPSS notice
Questions
Why has Mr. Pen Water Beads been reported?
The hazard with Mr. Pen Water Beads is suffocation or asphyxiation. 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?
The notice describes the affected product rather than listing codes. Compare the product name, pack size and where you bought it with the official notice.
What should I do now?
Take it out of the cot or pram now, and put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface. Keep it away from babies and young children.
Can I get a refund or a repair?
Contact the seller through your order history and say that the product is the subject of an OPSS safety report. Keep screenshots of the listing and your order. If the seller does not respond, the marketplace’s own dispute process or your card provider is the next step.
