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A POPULAR elf toy from a major high street retailer has been recalled over fears of injuries to children and parents.
Iceland's Naughty Christmas Elf Doll has been pulled off the shelves by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
"presents a risk of cuts and injuries" the Government office has .
It "presents a risk of cuts and injuries as some products may have an accessible sharp edge,"; the recall states.
The 12-inch doll sold in Iceland is dressed in a red, green, and white outfit.
Only the following batch codes are included in the recall - 25009 and 23294.
These batches fail to meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.
The impacted batches have been recalled from end users but shoppers who have already purchased the Naughty Christmas Elf Doll should check their batch details.
These can be found on the product packaging above the barcode.
If you find that the doll you have is one of the recalled products, you must immediately take action.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards states that consumers "should stop using it immediately and return it to their place of purchase."
A full refund will be issued.
Further details can be found on Iceland's which states that the Elf doll has a manufacturing defect of a "possible sharp edge."
"No other batches are affected by this product recall," Iceland has assured customers.
The retailer further urges shoppers to warn their friends about the recall if they know of anyone who purchased the doll.
"We wish to thank you for your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience," Iceland said.
PRODUCT recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods.
As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action.
But it's often left up to supermarkets to notify customers when products could put them at risk.
If you are concerned about the safety of a product you own, always check the manufacturer’s website to see if a safety notice has been issued.
When it comes to appliances, rather than just food items, the onus is usually on you - the customer - to register the appliance with the manufacturer as if you don't there is no way of contacting you to tell you about a fault.
If you become aware that an item you own has been recalled or has any safety noticed issued against it, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by the manufacturer.
They should usually provide you with more information and a contact number on its safety notice.
In some cases, the manufacturer might ask you to return the item for a full refund or arrange for the faulty product to be collected.
You should not be charged for any recall work - such as a repair, replacement or collection of the recalled item.
Product recalls are common practice among retailers with items pulled from shelves for a host of different reasons.
In most cases, products are pulled because there is a safety risk to customers.
You can read more about your rights concerning a recalled product in our guide.
Another festive product has also recently been urgently recalled over injury fears.
John Lewis has been forced by safety officials to recall its latest Quality Street Sweet Glass Baubles due to their resemblance to the chocolates.
Officials have warned that people risk being left with cuts to their mouth or hand if they try to take a bite of the bauble.
They were sold at John Lewis from September 1 to October 17.
