Zalando Recalls Five Pairs of Women’s Shoes

BERLIN, APRIL 7, 2014 // To rule out any possible health risks for their customers, Zalando recalls five pairs of women’s shoes. Around 1,500 customers have been asked to return the products in question back to Zalando. They can of course return them free of charge and the cost of the shoes will also be refunded.

The shoes in question were found to have increased levels of hexavalent chromium (chromium (VI)). ‘The health and safety of our customers is of the highest priority’ explained Zalando spokesperson Boris Radke. Therefore, even before they got the final results back, Zalando identified all of the products in question and personally informed the customers that purchased a pair of the shoes over the past few months. This is being done as a precautionary measure. The final test results are expected over the course of this week. ‘In the meantime we are doing everything we can to keep our customers informed and to remove the shoes from sale’ said Radke.

The shoes were made in Italy, Spain and Southeast Asia. ‘The manufacturers are all internationally renowned and have to abide by the General Terms & Conditions of Delivery and/or the Zalando General Instructions’ explained Radke. By agreeing to these Terms & Conditions, manufacturers pledge not to go over the accepted levels for substances such as hexavalent chromium and that their products are suitable for sale. ‘We are currently in close talks with the suppliers and are doing everything we possibly can to ensure the health and safety of our customers, both now and in the future’ said Radke.

The decision to recall the products was a precautionary one, with Zalando still waiting for the results of an independent toxicological report. Once Zalando is in the possession of the results, which are expected this week, they will consider their next steps and how to proceed.

The most important thing is transparency: talks between suppliers, the test labs and Zalando departments are ongoing and we aim to set up new processes for quality control and product safety as soon as possible. We will be looking at the whole process carefully and product safety and recalling products will continue to be on the agenda internally at Zalando’ explained Radke.

The following models have been recalled. Customers will be informed by Zalando directly:

• Zalando Collection AW12 – high heels green (ZA511A00C-602
• Zign, SS13 – high heel pumps black (ZI111A06X-802)
• Taupage, SS13 – high heel pumps beige (TA911A02F-704)
• Pier One, SS13 –high heels brown (PI911A07R-708)

As part of a standard quality control check, Zalando was informed by the regional authorities at the end of March that the shoes in question had increased levels of hexavalent chromium. Independent tests were then started straightaway and will be completed this week. The shoe models were identified immediately and taken off the website. Zalando itself carries out random spot checks at regular intervals.

If skin comes into contact with hexavalent chromium it can lead to, amongst other things, allergies. Alongside nickel and perfume, it is one of the most common contact allergens. Up until now there have been no recorded cases of damages to health as a result of contact with hexavalent chromium. To rule out any potential threat to customers, Zalando has taken the precautionary measure of removing the products in question from sale and recalling the shoes that have already been sold.

Customers who have a pair of the above listed shoes are kindly asked to send them back free of charge. You can call the Zalando Customer Service team free of charge, the number is available on the websites.

ABOUT ZALANDO
Zalando (https://corporate.zalando.com) is Europe’s leading online retailer for shoes and fashion. Working with over 1,500 interna-tional brands, Zalando offers an extensive selection of products for women, men and children, ranging from popular high street brands to much sought-after designer labels. Exclusive accessories and sportswear add to Zalando’s wide range of products. A combination of unique services – free delivery and returns, a free service helpline and an extended day returns policy – make online shopping at Zalando a convenient and secure online experience. The company was founded by Robert Gentz and David Schneider in 2008 and its headquarters are located in Berlin. Following its success in Germany, Zalando launched in Austria in 2009 and the Netherlands and France followed in 2010. In 2011 Zalando expanded into Italy, the UK and Switzerland. Since 2012 Zalando has also been available in Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Norway. Deliveries were extended to Luxembourg in 2013.