Customers are rushing to buy a popular baby product before it’s no longer for sale in the U.S.
The Snuggle Me infant lounger will be removed from U.S. stores soon, the company announced last month.
Why It Matters
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted a new rule in May establishing safety standards for products classified as “infant support cushions.”
The CPSC decided to adopt the rule because infant support cushions can create unsafe sleeping conditions, according to the agency.
Under the new rule, the Snuggle Me infant lounger can no longer be sold, prompting a rush of shoppers to claim the last items in stock.
What To Know
Snuggle Me posted on social media that they were down to their last few Sage and Natural infant loungers.
“Thank you for the years of love, feedback and snuggles – you’ve helped shape everything that comes next for us,” the company wrote online.
“The consumer psyche will naturally fall into what’s known as the scarcity effect,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “When people sense that something might become limited or unavailable, demand spikes in a rush to buy.”
Snuggle Me previously announced on Instagram that the infant lounger “will soon be retiring in the U.S.” but didn’t specify the exact timing that the product would no longer be available due to “new U.S. regulations.”
The Snuggle Me infant lounger is an oval-shaped pillow that holds babies up to 9 months old. Its design “hugs” the baby’s body, allowing them to play or relax.
The CPSC originally created the rule after citing 17 deaths in 2020 and at least 17 deaths in 2021 because of certain products’ unsafe sleeping conditions in infant loungers. The new rule stipulates that pillows must be firm enough to prevent suffocation and flat enough to prevent the baby’s head and neck from going into an inclined position.
What People Are Saying
CPSC Commissioner Richard L. Trumka said previously in a statement: “This closes one of the largest remaining product safety gaps contributing to unsafe sleep. This will put a stop to companies avoiding safety standards by calling their baby pillows by different names…we now cover the field for any such products.”
Kara Rollins, attorney for Heroes Technology, which built the product, said previously in a statement: “CPSC chose a regulatory shortcut that not only ignores the limits of the agency’s power but also used less rigorous methods than required. When it comes to infant safety, the Commission should be focused on the best rules, not the fastest process.”
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “Our regulatory agencies are stepping in not to slow down commerce, but to protect consumers. They’re demanding higher standards of quality — not just letting companies play word games or rebrand their way around accountability.”
What Happens Next
While future loungers will incorporate more safety requirements, experts say the current consumer is focused on securing the popular items before they run out.
“Despite security concerns, the loungers are popular, and the retirement announcement has triggered some to go and buy them before they leave store shelves,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. “Be aware of the risks as a parent; while popular, you want to ensure any item is safe for use.”
