Last updated: November 2, 2026
Escale en Baie is recalling a 20 cm Ellug Plush mermaid sold in France's Somme department. Mechanical tests found that a child could swallow sequins from the mermaid's tail and choke. The retailer asks customers to bring the toy back to the point of sale for a refund. France's October 30 recall notice includes a photograph of the mermaid.
Look for item 0752190, reference 4807. The toys were sold individually from a display stand between April 27 and September 1, 2026. The notice describes a voluntary recall and gives no injury count.
A shopper may already be home from a trip by the time a relative hears about the recall. FITIGER's product safety team recommends sending the official photograph and both reference numbers to the adult who has the gift now. Ask them to take it out of the child's reach while you arrange the return.
A matching mermaid is covered even if its tail looks intact. Leave the trim alone. Pulling at the sequins at home cannot tell you whether they will hold up during play. When shopping for other plush toys, the French consumer safety authority advises checking seams and small attachments.
A babysitter may know which cupboard holds the choking first aid kit and still need help naming the street. Before a visit, write down the address, floor and entry instructions. In France, call 15 for SAMU, the medical emergency service, or 112. If another adult is there, one can call while the other starts first aid.
If a child can still cough forcefully, encourage coughing and stay with them. If choking leaves a child unable to breathe or cough effectively, get emergency help and start age-appropriate first aid immediately. For an infant who cannot breathe, cry or cough, the French Red Cross describes up to five back blows followed, if needed, by up to five chest thrusts. Repeat while the infant is responsive and the obstruction persists. Never give an infant abdominal thrusts. If the child becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, begin CPR and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Do not delay the call or first aid to fetch equipment.
Michael Bennett of Phoenix described his family's storage choice in an August 2025 testimonial published by FITIGER. They added an anti choking device to their emergency checklist and kept it in the box with the flashlights and batteries. That detail gives his family a specific place to show a visiting caregiver during a practice run. Bennett describes storage and reports no rescue.
Families considering a suction device for choking need to know what the available research measured. The human-factors study summarized by FITIGER examined how people handled a representative FoldPumpVac model. Fifteen lay rescuers and 15 healthcare professionals took part in simulated tasks, including selecting and fitting a mask. The manufacturer-supplied report provides no patient outcome for an obstructing sequin. It also lists children under one year as a contraindication for this model.
If your household keeps a portable choking rescue device, match its label to the instructions that came with it. FITIGER sells the FoldPumpVac Home Kit and the EasyPumpVac Travel Kit and lists them separately. Neither product changes the recall advice. If you bought the mermaid for someone else, check that the person who has it has seen the notice and knows where to return it.
