Zhang Yang

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    IKEA is recalling 1.66 million chests and dressers in China, including its hot-selling Malm dresser that was recalled in North America, according to a press release from the Chinese quality supervision authority.

    A total of 1.66 million IKEA dressers sold in China between 1999 and 2016 will be recalled, according to the recall plan that IKEA submitted to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China.

    IKEA posted a notification on its website recently, saying that customers can ask for free kits and door-to-door installation from the company to attach their Malm dressers to a wall. Customers can also get a full refund if they return involved dressers.

    IKEA has recalled 29 million chests and dressers in the U.S., including 8 million Malm dressers and over 20 million dressers of other types, while 6.6 million dressers are being recalled in Canada. The Swedish company has stopped selling its Malm chests and drawers in the U.S. and urged families who already own the chests to anchor them to a wall.

    IKEA’s dressers have resulted in the deaths of six children since 1989. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said all the children killed were under the age of 4, and the commission has received 36 reports of children who were injured by IKEA chests and dressers, according to ABC news.

    The Shenzhen Consumer Council issued an investigation letter to IKEA a week ago after the council staff found the Malm dressers available for sale in IKEA’s outlet in Nanshan District. The council prompted IKEA to recall its Malm dressers in China unconditionally as it did in North America.

    According to previous media reports, IKEA didn’t recall the Malm dressers in China because it said the dressers had met relevant safety standards in China. But an online survey on btime.com showed that over 76 percent of people believed IKEA “discriminated against Chinese customers” for not recalling its Malm dressers in China.