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20 Feb 2026

Irish parents urged to check shelves after hundreds of popular children's books recalled

Hundreds of books sold in Ireland as manufacturing fault sparks choking risk safety alert

Irish parents urged to check shelves after hundreds of popular children's books recalled

Irish parents are being urged to check their children’s bookshelves after a recall was issued for popular picture books sold across Ireland due to a choking risk.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said specific printings of Ladybird Peppa Pig and Hey Duggee books have been recalled following the discovery of a manufacturing fault affecting the covers.

According to the CCPC, the glitter varnish finish on the book covers may lift and peel off in flakes, which can fragment further.

A CCPC spokesperson warned: "A child may put such fragments in their mouth and choke."

The watchdog confirmed that approximately 856 affected products were sold in the Republic of Ireland, with copies stocked by major retailers nationwide.

READ MORE | Man arrested off Thailand flight into Ireland after kilos of cannabis found stashed in bag

The affected titles include Peppa Pig: Peppa Meets Father Christmas, Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Night Before Christmas, Peppa Pig: Peppa Loves Easter, Peppa Pig: Peppa Goes to Hollywood, and Hey Duggee: Duggee and the Christmas Badge.

Only certain print runs are affected, and the recall is limited to Ladybird books with a glitter finish that were printed in Great Britain or the United Kingdom. Parents are being urged to check the copyright page inside each book, where the Unique Print Number and print location are listed.

The CCPC said the recalled books were sold through major Irish retailers including Eason, Dubray, Waterstones, O’Mahony’s, The Book Centre and several bookshops across the country.

The list of Irish retailers includes:

Argosy Books Ltd
Callistoy Ltd
Dubray Books Ltd
Eason Ltd
IES Ltd
Maynooth University Bookshop
Newspread Ltd
Nimble Fingers
O’Mahony’s Booksellers Ltd (various locations)
Barker & Jones
The Book Centre (various locations)
Waterstones Cork
Waterstones Drogheda
Waterstones Dublin

A CCPC spokesperson said: "If you purchased one of the affected products, please stop use immediately and keep it out of the reach of children."

Affected copies can be returned to the retailer where they were purchased for a full refund, with no proof of purchase required. Parents who have questions can contact Ladybird customer services by email at customersupport@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk.

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