High retailers will cease promoting water beads marketed towards youngsters

Amazon, Walmart and Target have all eliminated the product in cases the place it’s marketed to youngsters from their bodily and digital cabinets. (Merchandise marketed in the direction of adults will nonetheless be obtainable for buy.)

Water beads are super-absorbent spheres that develop to a number of occasions their authentic measurement when uncovered to water. They can be utilized to water vegetation, however they’re additionally marketed as toys and, in some circumstances, studying aids.

Some younger youngsters are swallowing the beads, nevertheless, which causes them to broaden inside their our bodies, typically to as a lot as 100 occasions their authentic measurement. This may pose extreme well being dangers. The Client Product Security Fee has warned parents to keep them away from small children, noting they will “cause severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration, intestinal blockages and life-threatening injuries, and surgery may be required to remove the water beads”. Emergency departments see 1000’s of water-bead-related visits annually.

Final month, Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), introduced legislation to ban the merchandise from being marketed to youngsters.

Amazon has updated its policy, saying it’s going to take away listings that check with youngsters, embody photos of kids with the product or describe the merchandise as toys, arts and craft objects or “sensory play” objects.

Walmart and Goal have made similar commitments. Walmart mentioned it’s going to prohibit the sale of water beads which are marketed to youngsters below 9, whereas Goal mentioned it’s going to halt the sale of the product marketed to youngsters below the age of 12.

Some listings and merchandise have already been eliminated; others can be taken off cabinets subsequent week.

The ban comes as one of many season’s hottest toys — “gel blaster” weapons, which shoot water beads — are a preferred request amongst children.