A toy bow and arrow and a doll containing hundreds of times the legal limit of restricted chemicals have been found for sale on Greater Manchester's high streets, Trading Standards has warned.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said that the bow and arrow containing 100 times the legal limit of phthalates, and a fashion doll set found to contain 300 times the limit were “the tip of the iceberg”, as inspectors toured Salford. Phthalates are plastic-softening chemicals that are used to make plastic more durable.
Their use is tightly restricted across Europe and toy products must contain no more than 0.1 per cent. Restricted phthalates are carcinogenic and can cause reproductive problems as well as having long-term adverse effects on child growth and neurodevelopment.
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Pregnant women and young children are considered to be the most vulnerable groups to the effects of phthalates, exacerbated by young children being likely to put toys in their mouths. The CTSI said it was “deeply concerned” that such large quantities of restricted phthalates were still being used in children’s toys.
Testing on a desktop fan heater also found multiple failings, including the mains plug and wires not meeting safety standards, a counterfeit fuse and inadequate safety guards. Testing of an adaptor plug on a set of children’s LED lights found a counterfeit fuse and no breakdown isolation between the input and output, which could cause overheating and was a fire hazard.
CTSI conducted a product safety campaign with Salford City Council Trading Standards to explore links between the cost-of-living crisis and consumers buying cheaper products, and if that was putting them at risk of substandard and unsafe goods. CTSI visited high streets in Salford to ask consumers about the products they were seeking on save money on, finding phone chargers, toys and games, hair straighteners, toasters, kettles and washing machines were most sought after at lower prices.
It warned consumers that turning to cheaper alternatives left them increasingly vulnerable to unsafe products. CTSI chief executive John Herriman said: “Businesses selling unsafe goods are taking no regard for the safety of their customers.
"We see reports in the news of fires from faulty household goods, so these unscrupulous shopkeepers could be selling products that are deadly.
“We urge businesses to think carefully about the supply chains they are using to source their products, and if buying from overseas sellers they should be checking for product safety testing information and ensure they have contact details that can be used to trace the products back to the manufacturer in the event of a problem.
“No parent should be buying a toy from the high street and have to second-guess whether it’s safe or not. Trading Standards are working hard to rid our shops and online marketplaces of these unsafe products, but more needs to be done to stop these products from reaching UK shores.
“We are still awaiting the publication of the Government’s Product Safety Review – hopefully this will be a vital piece of the puzzle in implementing much-needed measures that improve the safety of products including toys and electrical goods. It is an issue that is simply too important to delay any longer.”
Katrina Philips, chief executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, said: “With family finances under huge strain, we’re all looking to save money wherever we can. But children don’t stop having birthdays just because money is tight. This puts parents at real risk of buying cheap toys that don’t meet UK safety standards – and that can badly hurt or even kill their child.
“If you can, buy toys and games from a reputable store on your high street or online, and avoid overseas sellers on online marketplaces.”
Jerry Burnie, head of compliance at the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA), said: “The BTHA applauds the efforts of Salford Trading Standards and CTSI in general in tackling hazardous products that should not be on the market. Our members spend a lot of time and money ensuring their toys are safe and do not contain substances that have been banned around the world for many years.
“Whilst we understand times are very hard at present, we would urge parents to buy carefully from reputable stores and toy companies and avoid these dangerous toys that are putting children at risk.”
