Skip to main content

Williams-Sonoma fined $700,000 for faulty shades

NEW YORK (AP) — Williams-Sonoma Inc. has agreed to pay a $700,000 fine after the government accused the home goods retailer of taking too long to report that its window shades posed a strangulation hazard to children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Williams-Sonoma knew in 2007 that kids were getting entangled in shades sold by its Potter Barn Kids stores, but didn’t report it until a year later. Companies are supposed to report possible product defaults within 24 hours, the CPSC says.

Williams-Sonoma and the CPSC recalled about 85,000 of the window shades in 2009. The CPSC says seven customers reported children becoming entangled. No injuries were reported.

By paying the fine, Williams-Sonoma is not admitting or denying CPSC’s charges. The San Francisco company did not respond to a request for comment.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story