Janell Mayo Duncan, the senior counsel for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, wrote to the Washington Post to argue that it had underplayed the recall of Thomas the Tank Engine train toys because lead had been found in the paint.
Duncan wrote, “The recall was treated as a small item on Page D2 of the Business section [‘Thomas & Friends Toys Recalled,’ National Briefing]. Some other news outlets had reported it the day before.
“A few years ago, Consumer Reports found that millions of unsafe, recalled products remained in consumers’ hands, largely because recall notices are inadequate and are not getting to the people who need to know about them.
“We strongly urge that you place a higher priority on notifying readers promptly about recalls of dangerous products and that you give serious thought to more prominently placing such information to maximize impact.”
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