Quality watchdogs must stay alert

After having a "meeting and talk" with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, IKEA is recalling 1.66 million chests of drawers sold on the Chinese mainland between 1999 and this year.

The Swedish furniture retailer had already recalled this type of chest of drawers in North America because it said there was a risk they might be dangerous to children. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission found the Malm drawers could topple over and crush children if they were not anchored to walls.

IKEA's reversal of its position in China is not based on its own decision-making, but is a passive response to the strong dissatisfaction from consumers and pressure from Shanghai's quality watchdog, the Shenzhen Consumers' Association, and particularly from the country's top quality watchdog.