L.L. Bean Hit With $750,000 Penalty for Delay in Reporting Safety Defects

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2000 -- L.L. Bean, Inc., of Freeport, Maine, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $750,000. The civil penalty settles allegations that L.L. Bean violated the Consumer Product Safety Act because the firm delayed in reporting to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that two of its backpack child carriers were defective.

CPSC alleges L.L. Bean delayed in reporting that children can work their way out of the harness and fall through a leg opening or topple out of the top of the carriers. CPSC alleges that L.L. Bean knew of 39 incidents involving the two carriers, before the company reported to CPSC. One child suffered a concussion and fractured wrist. Six children suffered contusions, lacerations, bumps or bruises. In addition, four children became entangled in the units' shoulder straps, creating a risk of strangulation.

Both backpack child carriers are used by adults to carry small children. Both were sold through the L.L. Bean website, catalogs, and retail stores in Maine, Oregon, New Hampshire and Delaware. The model number W695 backpack child carrier is teal green (blueish green), with gray harnesses and a kickstand. L.L. Bean sold about 13,000 model number W695 carriers for about $95, from January 1993 through March 1995, and recalled them on April 19, 1999. The model number AC25 backpack child carrier is forest green, has gray harnesses, and a kickstand. The company sold about 11,800 AC25 carriers, for about $95, from January 1997 through October 1998, and recalled them on December 10, 1998.

In agreeing to settle this matter, L.L. Bean denies that it violated the Consumer Product Safety Act or any other law administered by CPSC.

Consumers who have either of these carriers should stop using them immediately and should call L.L. Bean at (800) 555-9717 for return and refund information.