Schumer Pushes For Fed Probe of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods Stores Over Sales of Deadly Products
Senator Chuck Schumer holds a press conference in front of TJ Maxx to discuss the recalled items that have been sold at the retailer. (Danny Iudici for New York Daily/for New York Daily News)
(IBEXNews) – One of the nation’s largest retailers for years sold dangerous, recalled products to unsuspecting consumers, says Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — and he wants the company held to task.
Schumer on Sunday called for a thorough investigation of TJX Companies, which owns TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods. He said from 2014 through 2019 the company sold 19 products that were recalled for safety reasons at more than 3,200 stores across the country.
Those recalled products include electronic hoverboards that sometimes explode or light on fire and a form of inclined baby sleeper that has been linked to infant deaths.
The federal government required the items to be removed from shelves, but TJX ignored that directive and continued to profit off the dangerous devices.
“The feds must investigate this occurrence from top-to-bottom and fully unwrap how holiday bargains were allowed to become dangerous gifts in the first place, making sure it does not happen again,” said Schumer. "At the same time, I am calling on TJX Companies to work with consumers, alert them to any dangers and promptly deliver any refunds.”
Schumer sent a letter to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urging the agency to look into TJX’s bad behavior. He wrote that the company of abused the “implicit trust between consumers and retailers” that “is critical to the safety of Americans and the viability of the American economy.”
TJX has 225 locations in New York State, 27 of which are in the five boroughs.
“When a big store like TJ Maxx is selling products that could well be dangerous and certainly something is wrong with them, there’s got to be answers and there’s got to be consequences,” Schumer said. “Was it willful? Could it happen again?”
TJX spokeswoman Erika Tower said the products were mistakenly left on shelves, and that the company is working to ensure the problem does not happen again.
“At TJX, product safety is very important to us," said Tower. “We apologize to our customers and encourage anyone who believes they may have one of these products to participate in the recall.”