The Recall Desk
CriticalCPSC·87056·Announced 1987-09-24

General Mills Recalls Cheerios Boxes With Powerball Premium Due to Choking Risk

General Mills is recalling Cheerios boxes containing a Powerball premium after a reported choking death of a one-year-old. Parents should keep the ball away from children under three.

What this means for you

Highest-severity recall. Risk of serious injury or death is documented or strongly suspected. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the ball was involved in the accidental choking death of a one-year-old child. Per the rubric, if reported deaths exist anywhere in the source text, the score is 5 regardless of other factors.

Plain-English summary

General Mills is voluntarily halting shipments and removing from wholesale and retail channels 15 and 20-ounce boxes of Cheerios that include a free "Powerball" premium. This action is being taken in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) following a reported accidental choking death of a one-year-old child involving the ball. Four other incidents involving balls in the mouths of young children that did not result in injury were also reported to the firm.

The recall affects approximately ten million boxes sold since May 1987, with an additional estimated five million boxes currently on retail shelves or in the control of General Mills or its distributors. The ball is non-toxic, sealed in a heavy plastic wrapper, and meets CPSC regulations for toys intended for children under three. However, the company and CPSC caution that children approximately three years of age or under may tend to place such objects in their mouths.

Consumers are advised to keep the Powerball premium away from children approximately three years of age or under, or to discard it. Cheerios cereal remains available in packages that do not contain the Powerball. General Mills is initiating a consumer education campaign through advertisements and cereal box inserts. Consumers with questions may contact General Mills at 1-800-328-1144 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. central daylight time on weekdays.

The recalled product

Product
Cheerios With "Powerball" Premium Sales Recalled by General Mills
Manufacturer
General Mills
Category
Food — Cereal
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · choking

See all →