Reebok fined €633k over toxic bracelets

Sportswear company Reebok has agreed to pay a $1m (€633,000) fine for importing and distributing charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead and resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy.

It is the largest US civil penalty for a violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and follows a 2006 recall of 300,000 of the Chinese-made bracelets.

The bracelets were free with the purchase of various styles of children’s footwear.

In March 2006, the company learned that a four-year-old boy from Minneapolis died after swallowing the bracelet’s heart-shaped pendant.

Reebok denied violating federal law in the settlement agreement signed last week.

Chief executive Paul Harrington said in a statement that, since the recall, the company has put in place procedures “which ensure all gift-with-purchase and promotional items and premium products associated with our brand meet or exceed the highest quality and safety standards.”