Product safety alertOPSS
Water Beads (PSA7) safety alert over a safety concern
This is a Product Safety Alert from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for a product commonly known as ‘water beads’. Water beads can pose a serious risk of a) gastrointestinal blockage requiring surgery or b) asphyxiation (suffocation or choking). This Alert is for consumers (particularly parents and caregivers to young children), childcare and educational establishments, local authority trading standards and businesses to warn of the potential harm that water beads can pose.
What to do now
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published a notice about Water Beads (PSA7).
- Put it aside and read the corrective action below.
- The marketplace has removed the listing. Contact the seller through your order history to ask for a refund.
- If you cannot reach the seller, Trading Standards can be told through Citizens Advice.
Why it matters. Products sold in the UK must be safe. The notice below explains what the authority found and what has been done.
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 (opss-skvl0l). Quoted as issued.
Summary
This is a Product Safety Alert from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for a product commonly known as ‘water beads’. Water beads can pose a serious risk of a) gastrointestinal blockage requiring surgery or b) asphyxiation (suffocation or choking). This Alert is for consumers (particularly parents and caregivers to young children), childcare and educational establishments, local authority trading standards and businesses to warn of the potential harm that water beads can pose.
Open the OPSS notice
Questions
Why has Water Beads (PSA7) been recalled?
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published a notice about Water Beads (PSA7). Products sold in the UK must be safe. The notice below explains what the authority found and what has been done.
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?
Put it aside and read the corrective action below. The marketplace has removed the listing. Contact the seller through your order history to ask for a refund.
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.
