Ross Stores pays $3.9 million fine for defective kids’ clothing

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Ross Stores has agreed to pay a $3.9 million fine to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for neglecting to inform the commission within a mandated 24-hour period that it sold or stocked in stores roughly 23,000 pieces of children’s apparel with drawstrings located at the neck or waist between January 2009 and February 2012. Sales of children’s clothing with these types of drawstrings has been officially banned in the U.S. since 2011 and subject to voluntary restrictions since 1996.



As part of the fine agreement, Ross Stores will create a compliance plan to prevent future sales of defective children’s apparel but denies intentionally violating any regulations. Ross Stores previously paid a $500,000 fine in 2009 for selling defective children’s clothing during 2006 and 2007. Neither the CPSC or Ross Stores website had any information or comment on this matter.