ST. GEORGE — McDonald’s “Step-It” activity wristbands are being recalled due to risks of skin irritation or burns, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Tuesday.

McDonald’s has recalled 29 million units in the United States and 3.6 million in Canada. The company voluntarily removed the product from Happy Meals last week, citing similar concerns.

The recall came after McDonald’s received more than 70 reports of skin irritations, including seven reports of blisters, after wearing the wristbands.

The Step-It fitness tracker came in six bright colors and strapped on like a watch. Manufactured in China, the device counted steps or blinked according to how quickly or slowly the person wearing the device was moving.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our customers, which is why upon learning about concerns with these bands, we acted swiftly to stop distribution of these products,” the company’s spokesperson Terri Hickey said in a statement Tuesday. “We apologize to our customers who were impacted and for the inconvenience this recall has caused.”

McDonald’s swapped out plush toys and figurines for the fitness trackers in early August as part of a promotional campaign to get kids active.

McDonald’s reiterated on its website that the activity bands were tested and in compliance with federal and state requirements.

“McDonald’s is aggressively investigating this issue,” the company said on its website. “While we do not yet know what may be causing these incidents, we believe it is appropriate to recall these wristbands from consumers in an abundance of caution.”

Consumers are advised to immediately return the fitness trackers to any McDonald’s for a free replacement toy and either a yogurt tube or bag of apple slices.

Resources

• McDonald’s Step-It activity wristband Safety Recall

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