Waterlooville firm's teething toy pulled from Amazon amid fears it is '˜carcinogenic'

Customers of the retail giant received an email on Friday urging them to return Gertie the Good Goose because it '˜may be unsafe for use'.

The product is geared at soothing babies' gums and secured a spot on Boots' shelves in November as part of a three-month exclusive deal with Hampshire firm Sweet Dreamers. 

But in correspondence sent out on December 28, parents and guardians were warned of a '˜potential' presence of a '˜nitrosamines/nitrosable' substance '˜beyond limit values'.

Nitrosamines are chemical compounds '“ which can be carcinogenic '“ and are used to manufacture rubber products such as balloons and condoms. 

The email from Amazon shared online by a mother who bought a Gertie the Good Goose said: '˜We've been informed that your Gertie the Good Goose '“ Natural Rubber Teething Toy bought in your Amazon order [order number here], may be unsafe for use due to the potential risk of chemical risk '“ presence of nitrosamines/nitrosable substance beyond the limit values. We ask that you stop using this item immediately.

'˜Please return the affected item to Amazon for a full refund. Any charges you incur for this return will be refunded back to you.

'˜To arrange the return please visit our Returns Support Centre.'

Since the email was sent out to buyers, admins behind the Facebook page for Gertie the Good Goose have hit back '“ assuring customers the toy has '˜passed EU safety certification' and '˜is within the UK limits for nitrosamines'. 

The full message, shared at 1.14pm on Friday, said: '˜Amazon recall update '“ I would like to assure all Gertie the Goose customers that we have passed EU safety certification for Gertie and she is within the UK limits for nitrosamines. I'm very sorry for the concern or disappointment caused.

'˜Unfortunately we have little detail on this at the moment apart from a link to a French eBay listing (which could well be counterfeit stock). We will be submitting the passed safety documents to Amazon ASAP and can send these out via email to show that the stock sent to Amazon was at a safe level.

'˜Unfortunately our team is away on a family holiday so we are not available in the office at the moment. Sincere apologies for the concern caused and that we are not available in the UK office.

'˜We understand if this Amazon email has caused you to lose faith in Gertie, therefore we will still honour the refunds offered to customers in the Amazon email this morning.

'˜Please email [email protected] for further details on the safety documents and we will be posting updates on the Gertie the Good Goose Facebook page.'

Sweet Dreamers in Waterlooville, which distributes Gertie the Good Goose, was crowned Overall Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year at The News' Business Excellence Awards in September. 

The firm is also known for producing the plush sleeping aid Ewan the Dream Sheep. 

Gertie the Good Goose sold out within 24 hours in May, 2017 after it appeared in The Mail on Sunday. 

A spokesman for Amazon confirmed the email shared is legitimate and Gertie the Good Goose has been removed from the site.

The toy has also appeared in the French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control's (DGCCRF) list of '˜dangerous products recalled on 20 December 2018 as part of the internet marketplace survey'.

The News has approached Sweet Dreamers for comment.