Target has pulled select Up & Up baby wipes from its shelves after testing found potentially dangerous bacteria in product samples and shoppers raised alarms about strange discoloration and irritation. The voluntary recall covers both fragrance-free and fresh cucumber-scented wipes in multiple pack sizes sold nationwide, and parents are being urged to stop using affected products and check their labels for specific UPC numbers and manufacturing codes.
In a press release, Target said FDA testing detected Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli in samples of Up & Up Fragrance Free and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes. The retailer said it is coordinating with the supplier on an investigation and confirmed that consumers should immediately stop using recalled wipes and return them to any Target store for a full refund. For questions, Target pointed shoppers to Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680.
The company also acknowledged it has received consumer complaints and adverse-event reports about product discoloration and symptoms such as skin and eye irritation, noting that those reports are still under review. For many parents, the problems were hard to miss: early local coverage highlighted online complaints about wipes turning brown, developing odd odors and seemingly triggering rashes before the recall was formally posted. Local reporting and early details are available at Local Memphis.
The wipes were manufactured by Sapro Temizlik Ürünleri, a Turkish private-label wet-wipes producer that includes baby wipes among its product lines. Sapro is working with Target as the investigation unfolds.
Burkholderia species are environmental, water-associated bacteria that can colonize moist consumer products and are known to cause serious infections in people with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For healthy people, skin contact most often leads to local irritation or infection, but infants, newborns and those who are immunocompromised face a higher risk of invasive disease. The CDC has previously linked Burkholderia outbreaks to contaminated liquid products in healthcare settings, making the bacteria’s appearance in baby wipes a serious quality-control warning sign.
How to check if your wipes are affected
The key is on the label. Check the UPC, manufacturing codes and expiration dates printed on your package. Target lists the specific UPCs and date-code ranges for the fragrance-free and cucumber-scented wipes included in the recall.
Among the affected items are, for example, UPC 085239265956 for a fragrance-free 20-count pack and UPC 085239265970 for a fresh cucumber 72-count pack. According to Target, manufacture dates for the recalled lots span late 2025 into 2026. Customers with products that match the listed UPCs and codes can bring them back to any Target store for a full refund or call Guest Relations at the number provided in the company’s notice.
When to call a doctor and how to report
If a child develops persistent redness, swelling, fever, breathing trouble or other signs of infection after using the wipes, healthcare providers should be contacted promptly. Regulators also want to hear about problems. Consumers can submit product complaints or adverse-event reports to the FDA’s MedWatch program online or by phone, which helps the agency track safety issues and can lead to additional action when needed. For more on how to file a report, the FDA provides MedWatch guidance.
This story will be updated as Target, the manufacturer or health agencies release new information. Until then, parents and caregivers who use Up & Up wipes are urged to double-check their packaging against the recalled UPCs and manufacturing codes and to set aside any packs that match.
