Recently, miniature laundry detergent packets began appearing in stores across the country. These mini detergent packets provide an alternative to large bottles and detergent spills. Yet despite their convenience, doctors are reporting that children are confusing these packets with candy and swallowing them. With approximately 250 cases reported to poison control centers already this year and potentially severe health consequences, these miniature laundry detergent packets should be significantly altered or pulled off the shelves immediately.
Ingestion of the detergent packets has been reported to cause severe poisoning that results in symptoms such as nausea and breathing problems. If you are a parent of young children, I strongly advise you to avoid this product.
Children are confusing these packets with candy because the packets are small and brightly colored. Some packets also contain a swirled design, further increasing the potential for them to be confused as candy. As a personal injury lawyer with extensive experience trying product liability cases, I am simply dumbfounded as to why the manufacturers chose this design for such a dangerous product. Companies that manufacture potentially dangerous products have a duty to consumers to ensure that their products are sold in as safe a condition as possible. Here, I strongly believe that these companies should have anticipated this potentially dangerous confusion and altered their products accordingly.
