Safety Guides
Discover the latest in product safety, recall procedures, and tips to protect your household.
Discover the latest in product safety, recall procedures, and tips to protect your household.
Baby wipes are one of the most-used products in a family home. Parents keep them near the changing table, in the car, in the stroller, in daycare bags and in travel packs. That is exactly why a baby wipe recall can matter so much: the product may be used multiple times a day before a parent ever hears about an official safety alert.
In June 2026, Target recalled Up & Up Fragrance Free Baby Wipes and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes after customer complaints of discoloration and FDA testing that identified Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli in product samples. The FDA notice says the products were sold at Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com. (FDA notice)
This guide explains what parents should check, why UPC and date codes matter, what to do if a product matches a recall, and how to avoid missing future baby product alerts.
A baby wipe can look normal and still be part of a recall. In some contamination recalls, the warning sign may be discoloration, unusual smell, packaging damage, mould, irritation after use, or nothing obvious at all.
That is why parents should not rely only on appearance.
The FDA’s Target recall notice says use of products contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli may result in serious and life-threatening infections. The notice also says newborns, infants and young children are particularly vulnerable because of immature immune systems. (FDA notice)
This does not mean every baby wipe is dangerous. It means baby wipes belong in the same parent safety category as formula, baby food, toys, car seats, strollers and household products used around children.
The strongest current example is the Target Up & Up recall in the United States.
The affected products include:
The FDA notice lists specific UPCs, item numbers, manufacturing codes and expiration dates. For example, the Fragrance Free wipes include manufacturing date codes from November 07, 2025 to May 05, 2026, with expiration dates from May 10, 2028 through November 5, 2028. The Fresh Cucumber wipes include manufacturing codes from December 29, 2025 to December 30, 2025, with expiration dates from June 29, 2028 through June 30, 2028. (FDA notice)
That is the key lesson for parents: the recall is not checked by product name alone. You need to compare the exact UPC, pack size, manufacturing code and expiration date.
If you use baby wipes, start with all packs in:
Do not only check the pack currently being used. Bulk packs and travel packs can sit around for months.
When checking baby wipes against a recall notice, compare:
For the Target recall, the FDA notice lists UPC codes for each affected size and variant, plus manufacturing codes and expiration dates. That is more precise than “Target baby wipes” or “Up & Up wipes.” (FDA notice)
Check opened packs, unopened bulk boxes, travel packs and spare packs.
Compare the brand and variant. For example, “fragrance free” and “fresh cucumber scented” may be separate affected products.
The UPC usually appears near the barcode. In recalls, the UPC often confirms the exact product size and format.
This may be printed on the back, side seam, bottom edge, outer box or pouch seal.
Do not skip this. A product can have the same name but a different expiration date and not be part of the recall.
Match the details one by one. If the product matches, stop using it and follow the official remedy instructions.
If your baby wipes match an official recall:
For the Target recall, consumers are told to stop using the recalled products and return them to any Target store for a full refund. The FDA notice also lists Target Guest Relations as the consumer contact. (FDA notice)
This guide is not medical advice, but parents should take symptoms seriously if they appear after using a recalled wipe product.
Watch for:
If your baby is very young, has a weakened immune system, has a chronic condition, or symptoms are worsening, contact a healthcare professional promptly.
Baby wipe and baby skin-product alerts may not always appear in the same type of database in every country. Depending on the country and product classification, they may appear under cosmetics, product safety, consumer goods, health products or retailer recall notices.
Check the FDA recalls and safety alerts page for cosmetics, personal care products and other FDA-regulated product notices.
Check Product Safety Australia / ACCC recalls for consumer product recalls, especially baby products, skincare items, wipes, household goods and child-related products.
Check the UK OPSS product safety alerts page for consumer product safety notices. Some baby-product alerts may also be published by retailers.
Check the Government of Canada recalls and safety alerts portal, including consumer products and health-related product alerts.
The practical rule: do not assume “baby wipes” will always appear under food or baby categories. In the US Target example, the FDA listed the product type as Cosmetics. (FDA notice)
Baby wipe recalls are easy to miss because:
This is exactly where RecallScope is useful.
RecallScope helps families follow official-source safety alerts by product category, brand, keyword and country. A parent can track terms like:
The value is not browsing recall databases. The value is knowing when something your family actually uses may have become unsafe.
Use this today:
No. Recalls usually apply to specific products, UPCs, manufacturing codes, expiration dates or batches. Always check the official notice.
Yes. Some contamination issues may not be visible. The Target recall followed customer complaints of discoloration, but parents should still check product identifiers rather than relying only on appearance. (FDA notice)
Stop using the product if it matches the recall. If your baby has irritation, infection symptoms, fever, unusual tiredness, or you are worried, contact a healthcare professional.
Check the official notice first. Some recalls ask you to return the product for a refund or provide packaging information. Keep the UPC, manufacturing code and expiration date visible until you know what proof is needed.
In the US Target recall, the FDA listed the regulated product type as cosmetics. That is why parents should track product safety alerts broadly, not only food or toy recalls. (FDA notice)
Add this source box at the bottom of the article:
Baby wipes are exactly the kind of product parents use so often that they stop thinking about them as a safety risk. But recent recalls show why baby products need watchlist-style monitoring.
The safest habit is simple:
Check the exact UPC, manufacturing code and expiration date — not just the product name.
Then track the baby products your family actually uses, so the next official alert does not depend on you randomly seeing a news post.
Follow RecallScope for official-source recall explainers, safety tips and the most important updates. We auto-detect your country and timezone when possible.
RecallScope Team
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RecallScope Team
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RecallScope Team
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RecallScope Team
8 min read
RecallScope Team
9 min read
RecallScope Team
57 min read
RecallScope Team
67 min read
