Asda has faced criticism from parents who have claimed that the supermarket's confetti balloons could pose a choking hazard.
Priced at £1.50, the party balloons from Asda's George Home section come with confetti inside - but one mum sparked a debate over the safety of the balloons after posting about them on Facebook. Some parents expressed fears that their children may inhale or swallow the confetti while blowing up the balloons.
The packaging on the balloons states that they are a potential hazard, recommending that a pump should be used to blow them up and that children should be supervised around them. But some customers hit out at the supermarket, claiming to have nearly choked on the confetti after accidentally inhaling it, The Mirror reports.
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Mum Sara Dyson from West Yorkshire was one of these shoppers, saying that a piece of confetti stuck to the back of her throat while she was inflating one of the balloons. "We were blowing them up and when you inhale to exhale again, the confetti gets sucked into the back of your throat," she said.
"My daughter laughed at me while she was blowing hers up and then she inhaled them herself - for a second it was actually quite scary." Meanwhile, another mum from London said that she "ended up with a mouthful" of the confetti when doing the same thing, while a third parent said she was also left coughing and spluttering after the confetti "shot to the back of her throat".
A spokesperson for Asda said: "There are clear instructions on the packaging of this product which state that the use of a balloon pump is recommended. There are also warnings advising that the product is not suitable for children.
"If a customer has an issue with any of our products, we encourage them to contact us directly so that we can try to understand their concerns."
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