The Body Shop scented "Jewel" candles

CPSC Recall #99-070 — February 24, 1999

Recall Summary

Recall Number99-070
Recall DateFebruary 24, 1999
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedApproximately 25,000

Where It Was Sold

The Body Shop stores nationwide sold these candles from September 1998 through December 1998 for about $10.

Product

The Body Shop scented "Jewel" candles

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Body Shop, of Wake Forest, N.C., is recalling approximately 25,000 scented "Jewel" candles. The glass pots of these candles can explode or break, causing possible cuts to nearby consumers, and posing a fire hazard. The outer decorative covering of these pots can melt or catch fire. The Body Shop U.S. has received five reports of these candle pots exploding, breaking, melting or burning. No injuries have been reported. These Jewel candles are about 3 inches high and come in two fragrances: mulled berries and brandied apples. The mulled berries candles have purple resin covering its glass pot. The brandied apple candles have red resin covering its glass pot. On both types of candles, tiny glass-headed decorative beads are embedded in the resin. A dozen three-quarter-inch "jewels" of various colors also are set around the outside of the pot, embedded in the resin. A sticker on the bottom of the candle reads, "THE BODY SHOP." A clear, plastic disk that is around the wick when the candle is sold reads, "fragranced jewel candle" . . . "POT MADE IN CHINA FILLED IN UK." The Body Shop stores nationwide sold these candles from September 1998 through December 1998 for about $10. Consumers should immediately stop using these candles and return them to any Body Shop store for a refund. For more information, contact the Body Shop at (800) 661-2154 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

Hazard

The glass pots of these candles can explode or break, causing possible cuts to nearby consumers, and posing a fire hazard. The outer decorative covering of these pots can melt or catch fire.

Incidents & Injuries

The Body Shop U.S. has received five reports of these candle pots exploding, breaking, melting or burning. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately stop using these candles and return them to any Body Shop store for a refund.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.