Severity
Moderate
Tangled Treeples Toys Included With KFC Kids Meals Recalled by KFC
Reported: August 10, 2000 Initiated: August 10, 2000 #00162
KFC issued this CPSC recall on August 10, 2000. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Suffocation. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.
Recall Insight
This CPSC action (record #00162) was formally reported on August 10, 2000. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. KFC is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.
The documented reason for this recall is: Suffocation Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details.
To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 26 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.
Recall Distribution by Severity Class
Units Affected
Unknown
Related Recalls
6
0 from same agency
Product Description
Tangled Treeples Toys Included With KFC Kids Meals Recalled by KFC NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 10, 2000 Release # 00-162 KFC Recall Hotline: (800) CALL-KFC CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063 KFC Contact: Michael Tierney, (502) 874-8100 CPSC, KFC Corporation Announce Recall of Toy Included With KFC Kids Meals WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), KFC Corporation, of Louisville, Ky., is voluntarily recalling about 425,000 Tangled Treeples toys included with KFC Kids Meals. The toy is a green plastic container with small, blue plastic animal figures inside. The bottom of the container can fit over a child's nose and mouth, which could pose a suffocation hazard to children under three years of age. A 19-month-old girl reportedly had the Tangled Treeples container stuck over her face, causing her distress. When her mother removed the container, there was a red mark left on the child's face. The Tangled Treeples toy's green, plastic container, which measures about 3 inches in diameter and 1.25 inches deep, has trees molded on the outside. Inside are seven "Tangled Treeples" animal figures, including a monkey, owl, snake, raccoon and bear. Children can empty the animals out of the container and link them to form a chain. Writing on the outside of the container reads, "TreeplesTM" and "Made in China." KFC restaurants nationwide included the Tangled Treeples toys with KFC Kids Meals from June 2000 through July 2000. Consumers should immediately take the green plastic container away from children under the age of three. They should discard the container or return it to any KFC restaurant for an individual-sized side item, such as macaroni and cheese. For more information, consumers can call KFC at (800) CALL-KFC anytime or visit the KFC web site at http://www.kfc.com/SAFETY.htm. Consumers can also view a video clip about this recall (transcript). This is in "streaming video" format.
Reason for Recall
Suffocation
Details
- Recalling Firm
- KFC
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 00162 |
| Date reported | August 10, 2000 |
| Date initiated | August 10, 2000 |
| Recalling firm | KFC |
| Units affected | Not disclosed |
| Distribution | Not disclosed |
Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product was recalled? ▼
Tangled Treeples Toys Included With KFC Kids Meals Recalled by KFC NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 10, 2000 Release # 00-162 KFC Recall Hotline: (800) CALL-KFC CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063 KFC Contact: Michael Tierney, (502) 874-8100 CPSC, KFC Corporation Announce Recall of Toy Included With KFC Kids Meals WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), KFC Corporation, of Louisville, Ky., is voluntarily recalling about 425,000 Tangled Treeples toys included with KFC Kids Meals. The toy is a green plastic container with small, blue plastic animal figures inside. The bottom of the container can fit over a child's nose and mouth, which could pose a suffocation hazard to children under three years of age. A 19-month-old girl reportedly had the Tangled Treeples container stuck over her face, causing her distress. When her mother removed the container, there was a red mark left on the child's face. The Tangled Treeples toy's green, plastic container, which measures about 3 inches in diameter and 1.25 inches deep, has trees molded on the outside. Inside are seven "Tangled Treeples" animal figures, including a monkey, owl, snake, raccoon and bear. Children can empty the animals out of the container and link them to form a chain. Writing on the outside of the container reads, "TreeplesTM" and "Made in China." KFC restaurants nationwide included the Tangled Treeples toys with KFC Kids Meals from June 2000 through July 2000. Consumers should immediately take the green plastic container away from children under the age of three. They should discard the container or return it to any KFC restaurant for an individual-sized side item, such as macaroni and cheese. For more information, consumers can call KFC at (800) CALL-KFC anytime or visit the KFC web site at http://www.kfc.com/SAFETY.htm. Consumers can also view a video clip about this recall (transcript). This is in "streaming video" format.. Recalled by KFC.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
Suffocation
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the CPSC on August 10, 2000. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 00162.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (00162) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product? ▼
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.
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Recall Context
Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.
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Data Sources
Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.
- Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
- Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
- Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
- Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)
Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov
Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).