H-E-B Discontinues Coin Distribution
BUDA, Texas - H-E-B supermarkets have discontinued handing out game tokens while a federal agency investigates a claim of a child nearly choking on one of the coins.
The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission launched the investigation after a couple from Buda, Texas complained that their 2-year-old daughter had an H-E-Buddy token surgically removed from her throat in August.
A local television station, KSAT, reported that the complaint is the only one H-E-B has received, and that the company plans to give away a paper bill called Buddy Bucks in place of the nickel-size tokens.
Federal investigators said the safety commission will determine whether the tokens qualify as toys and whether they pose a choking hazard for children. If the coins are found to be hazardous, H-E-B could be forced to recall the tokens and the safety commission could issue warnings, officials said.
The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission launched the investigation after a couple from Buda, Texas complained that their 2-year-old daughter had an H-E-Buddy token surgically removed from her throat in August.
A local television station, KSAT, reported that the complaint is the only one H-E-B has received, and that the company plans to give away a paper bill called Buddy Bucks in place of the nickel-size tokens.
Federal investigators said the safety commission will determine whether the tokens qualify as toys and whether they pose a choking hazard for children. If the coins are found to be hazardous, H-E-B could be forced to recall the tokens and the safety commission could issue warnings, officials said.