Starbucks recalls 250,000 kids' plastic cups

Cups from a Starbucks coffee shop are pictured in London, March 15, 2007. Starbucks Corp, the world's biggest coffee shop chain, recalled 250,000 children's plastic cups made in China after receiving reports of the cups breaking and posing a choking hazard.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp, the world's biggest coffee shop chain, recalled 250,000 children's plastic cups made in China after receiving reports of the cups breaking and posing a choking hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Starbucks received seven reports of the cups breaking, including two reports in which a child began to choke on a piece of the cup.

No injuries were reported, the CPSC said in a statement.

The recall covers four styles of plastic 10-ounce cups with lids shaped like a red ladybug, green turtle, pink bunny and yellow chick, the CPSC said. The children's cups were sold for about $6 each at Starbucks stores from May 2006 to August 2007.

If the cup is dropped, the face on the cup can break off and leave small parts or sharp exposed edges that can pose a choking or laceration hazard to young children, the CPSC said.

Consumers should take the recalled cups away from children and contact Starbucks for a refund. The company is also offering a complimentary beverage as an incentive to return the recalled cups, the CPSC said.

The CPSC posted photos of the recalled cups on its Web site at: here .

(Reporting by Julie Vorman; additional reporting by Sweta Singh in Bangalore)