“ALERT: Massive Easter Egg Recall Leaves MILLIONS Of Children In Danger- THROW THEM AWAY- They WILL Kill Your Kids.”
Website recycles 2017 information to claim Target is recalling Easter egg toys in 2018
It is true that Target issued a recall for certain Easter egg toys, as claimed by a blog, however, the recall was for toys sold last year.
“ALERT: Massive Easter Egg Recall Leaves MILLIONS Of Children In Danger- THROW THEM AWAY- They WILL Kill Your Kids,” said the headline for a story posted Feb. 8 on news24fresh.info.
The story claims Target “has issued a massive recall for water-absorbing egg toys ahead of Easter Sunday after discovering the object can expand inside a child’s body, causing life-threatening conditions if ingested.”
Even though the story correctly identifies the toys and associated complications if ingested, it fails to mention that the toys were sold February 2017 through March 2017, with an April 13, 2017, recall date. The toys were recalled ahead of Easter Sunday 2017. Not Easter 2018.
Facebook users flagged news24fresh.info’s story as being potentially fabricated, as part of the social media’s efforts to combat online hoaxes. News24fresh.info’s website does not list any information identifying its mission statement, who runs it or who’s behind it.
However, the website does accurately note that the recall involves Hatch & Grow Easter Eggs, Easter Grow Toys (with model number 234-25-1200 on the back of the packaging) and Hatch Your Own Dino (with model number 234-09-0016 on a label inserted in the packaging).
The website also has the right description of the potential health problems and complications that can happen if a child ingests the toy; that surgery may be required to retrieve it from the body; and that it may not show up on an X-ray.
The approximate amount of toys sold — 560,000 — its estimated $1 price tag and Target’s offering of a full refund due to the recall is also accurate, matching announcements posted by Target and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Target also told PolitiFact that the recalls in the news24fresh.info post were all from last year.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission told PolitiFact that generally there’s no end date to recalls, unless there’s an update about a company no longer being in business.
Consumers can still follow up on Target’s 2017 recall for the described Easter egg toys, the commission said.
Target did issue a recall for Easter egg toys. But it did so last year. While recalls generally don’t expire, it seems clear to us that by reposting this story, news24fresh.info is trying to trick people into thinking the recall is new.
We rate this claim Half True.
PolitiFact Rating: 
Our Sources
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Target Recalls Water Absorbing Toys Due to Serious Ingestion Hazard, April 13, 2017
Target, Product recalls: Target Water Absorbing Toys, April 13, 2017
Email interview, Target press office, March 5, 2018
Email interview, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission press office, March 5, 2018
CNN, Target recalls Easter toys due to 'serious ingestion hazard', April 13, 2017
News24fresh.info, ALERT: Massive Easter Egg Recall Leaves MILLIONS Of Children In Danger- THROW THEM AWAY- They WILL Kill Your Kids, Feb. 8, 2018
