YETI recalls 1.9 million soft coolers, gear cases over magnet ingestion hazard
Written by ABC Audio All Rights Reserved on March 10, 2023
(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday announced a recall of 1.9 million YETI cooler products.
The recall impacts four of YETI’s products: the Hopper M20 backpack cooler, the Hopper M30 1.0 and 2.0 soft coolers, and the SideKick Dry gear case.
According to the CPSC, the magnet-lined closures on the products “can fail and result in detached magnets, posing a risk of serious injury or death if ingested.”
“When two or more high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract to each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system,” the agency said in a recall statement. “This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.”
The Austin, Texas-based cooler company issued the voluntary recall in cooperation with the CPSC.
“We are voluntarily recalling the Hopper M20, Hopper M30 1.0 and 2.0, and SideKick Dry products sold between March 2018 and January 2023,” YETI said in a statement on its website. “We ask all customers currently in possession of the Hopper M20, Hopper M30 and SideKick Dry to immediately stop use of these products.”
According to Thursday’s CPSC announcement, there have so far been “1,399 reports of the magnet-lined closures degrading or failing, including reports of missing or detached magnets.”
“No magnet ingestions or injuries have been reported,” the CPSC added.
Both YETI and the CPSC have urged consumers in possession of any of the affected products to immediately stop using them and contact YETI for a “full refund in the form of a YETI gift card with an additional $25 value.”
YETI customers can also visit the brand’s site directly for more information on “returning the product free of charge for the choice of a suggested replacement product of equal or greater value,” according to the company.
The four products in the recall were sold nationwide at Dick’s Sporting Goods, ACE Hardware, Academy Sports + Outdoors, YETI and other retailers, as well as online and on Amazon from March 2018 to January 2023.
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