Area stores respond to Mattel toy recall

BANGOR – Area stores took steps Wednesday in response to the latest Mattel toy recall.

Mattel Inc. announced Tuesday it was recalling about 9 million toys that had been manufactured in China. The recall was ordered because of concerns the toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and “Cars” movie items, contain lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

A supervisor at the Kmart store in Bangor, who declined to give her name, said the store reacted routinely to the announcement.

“We get recalls all the time – the list is posted at the front of the store,” she said.

The supervisor said her store received the recall notice Tuesday night and the listed items were removed from the store shelves early Wednesday morning. She said Kmart customers who already own any of the recalled items can return them to the customer service department.

Officials from the Wal-Mart stores in Bangor and Brewer would not comment on the recall. But a press release was posted on the Wal-Mart Web site.

“We continue to share the same concerns as parents over the recent recalls and we’re working diligently with the supplier to understand what happened,” the release said. “The majority of items involved in [Tuesday’s] recall were sold prior to 2007 and are no longer available at Wal-Mart.”

A manager at the Toys “R” Us store in Bangor said he could not comment on the recalls.

On Wednesday afternoon the Wal-Mart, Toys “R” Us and Kmart Web sites all featured a complete list of the recalled items and encouraged consumers to contact Mattel about replacement toys.