Christmas shoppers are being urged to be vigilant when buying toys
online this year, and to look out for tell-tale signs of fake and
potentially dangerous products as criminals exploit a festive surge
in demand for toys.
With online sales likely to be higher than usual this year
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Local Government Association is
calling for the CE safety mark to be included in all product
information on websites and online marketplaces selling toys. The
LGA is also asking shoppers to look for an authentic looking CE
mark on toys or their packaging which confirms they meet consumer
safety standards, when goods are delivered.
It comes as council trading standards teams continue to
seize fake items, including LOL Dolls and Disney merchandise,
which have contained banned materials.
Examples include:
-
Warwickshire County
Council’s Trading Standards team found fake Disney’s Frozen
II dolls that were found to contain a banned chemical plastic
softener which has been linked to asthma, allergies and
reproductive problems. The toys were missing the name and
address of the manufacturer or importer on the packaging, as is
legally required.
-
Trading Standards officers at Salford
City Council seized more than 50,000 counterfeit and
dangerous products in late 2019, including Disney, Marvel,
Peppa Pig and LOL Surprise toys.
-
Solihull Trading Standards found a consignment of 350
plush toys which were missing a CE mark and only included an
address for an importer in America rather than the European
Union.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has
launched their own online toy safety campaign this year, setting
out things to keep in mind when finding that special gift for a
young loved one or big kid.
These include purchasing from a reputable retailer,
ensuring the toy has not been recalled and checking that the
toy’s price compares to other retailers to confirm it is
genuine.
Cllr Nesil Caliskan, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger
Communities Board, said:
“Buying toys online can be a minefield, particularly when
you’re after an in-demand product and are shopping with third
party websites.
“Fake, substandard toys can cause serious harm through
choking hazards, toxic materials, burns or even fires. Not only
is selling fake or illegal toys a crime, it harms the reputation
of genuine traders who need our support more than ever at this
time.
“There are some tell-tale signs that a toy may not meet
safety standards or could even be illegal, like a wonky CE mark
or unusually low price, so it’s essential that you know what to
look out for before starting your Christmas shopping this
year.
“More people are going to be shopping online due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, which makes it harder to check toys before you
buy them.
“While there are plenty of things we can do as consumers,
it is also imperative that sellers include the CE mark in the
information on websites offering toys for sale, if the product
has been awarded one.”
Notes to editors
-
A report by the British Toy
and Hobby Association (BTHA) found that 86 per cent of toys
purchased from online marketplaces for testing purposes over a
year were illegal to sell in the UK as they failed to comply
with toy safety requirements, and 60 per cent were deemed
unsafe for a child to play with.
-
Online marketplaces provide a platform for the sale of
third-party products and should play a role in ensuring
compliance with safety requirements, but agreements such as the
European Product Safety Pledge are voluntary and this results
in increased risks compared with buying from a reputable
retailer.
