Baby cot mattress sold by Amazon and Argos recalled over safety fears

Simba is voluntarily recalling one of its cot bed mattresses after tests proved that it had safety issues.

The Simba Hybrid Cot Bed Mattress has been recalled because tests by consumer group Which? found that there was shrinkage when it was washed.

The mattress was available to buy between 8 May 2018 and 10 May 2019 through Simbasleep.com, Amazon, Argos and eBay.

The company has advised that parents stop using the product immediately and return it.

Test found mattress shrank

Simba has already issued a full refund to those affected, and says that it will collect the faulty mattresses from customers.

One of the Which? cot mattress tests involves removing the cot mattress cover and washing it twice, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The cover is then replaced and the mattress is checked to see if it still fits properly.

The mattress covers were found to shrink in the wash. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Which? Testers washed the cover at 40C and found that it shrank, meaning the mattress had to be squashed to fit into it.

This reduced the length from 140cm to 138.5cm, which is below standard regulations of 139cm.

Unsafe gap could trap limbs

The smaller mattress size could lead to an unsafe gap between the mattress and the cot bed frame, in which a baby’s limb could become trapped.

A Simba spokesperson told Which?, “At Simba, customer safety is our priority. All Simba products go through rigorous testing, ongoing compliance and quality procedures.

“The Simba Hybrid Cot Bed Mattress has been independently tested by FIRA, one of the leading governing bodies for research and laboratory testing who are fully accredited to UKAS standards.

“In light of this recent test from Which?, we have issued a full product recall and the range has been discontinued while we investigate further.

“This impacts a relatively small number of customers, whom our customer services team have contacted to reassure and offer a full refund and returns solution. We would like to apologise to those customers for any inconvenience or concern caused.”