TORONTO — McDonald’s Canada is following the lead of its U.S. counterpart and recalling all four versions of its Shrek-themed drinking glasses out of “an abundance of caution.”
Earlier Friday, McDonald’s in the U.S. recalled 12 million Shrek Forever After glasses because of cadmium —a known carcinogen — in the painted design.
McDonald’s Canada decided to follow suit after consulting with Health Canada and evaluating recently changed standards in the U.S. for acceptable levels of cadmium in consumer products.
McDonald’s Canada says the glassware was evaluated by an independent third-party laboratory and was fully in compliance with all applicable Canadian requirements when made and distributed.
A customer service representative couldn’t say how many Shrek tumblers had already been sold in Canada, but said customers are should not to use the glasses.
“We are telling them that we are recalling the glasses and information on this will be updated on our Canadian website,” she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
McDonald’s Canada says information on how to return the glasses and get a refund will be released shortly.
The glass tumblers, sold as part of a promotional campaign for the movie Shrek Forever After, were available in four designs.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers early Friday to immediately stop using the glasses.
“Long-term exposure to cadmium can cause adverse health effects,” the U.S. recall notice warned.