Watchdog warns ‘quick-fix’ baby sleep products could put lives at risk

Parents are being urged to question online adverts promising relief from reflux, colic and poor sleep after regulators found products being promoted in ways that could expose babies to serious harm.

The Advertising Standards Authority identified 350 online adverts for baby products and services during a large-scale monitoring exercise. Of the adverts it assessed, 59% were considered high risk, while 60 were flagged for follow-up action because of the potential for physical harm.

Among the most concerning were adverts for sleep and elevation devices, which accounted for more than half of those assessed. Some claimed that positioning a baby at an incline could reduce reflux, prevent colic or improve sleep, while others showed babies strapped into potentially unsafe devices or suggested products could reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

The watchdog said such marketing could be particularly persuasive to exhausted or first-time parents looking for a solution when their baby is distressed or struggling to sleep.

Jessica Tye, regulatory projects manager at the ASA, said it was unacceptable for advertising to exploit those worries by promoting products or practices that could place a baby in danger. The regulator is sharing its findings with other authorities because some concerns extend beyond misleading advertising into product safety.

The warning coincides with a separate safety alert from the Office for Product Safety and Standards covering baby sleeping bags with hoods or without armholes. Almost 50 recalls or safety reports involving dangerous sleeping bags have been recorded in the UK since 2023.

Without armholes, a baby may slip down inside a sleeping bag, creating a risk of overheating or suffocation. A hood can also cover the nose and mouth. Parents have been advised not to buy these products and to stop using them for unsupervised sleep, contacting the retailer about possible redress.

Established safer-sleep advice remains to place babies on their backs on a firm, flat and clear surface. Parents should be cautious of any advert presenting an elevated sleeping position or specialist device as a quick fix for reflux, colic or unsettled sleep, and seek advice from a healthcare professional if they are unsure.

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