An urgent warning has been issued after one council's trading standards team uncovered more than 1,000 'dangerous and hazardous' toys.
The Rochdale Council trading standards authorities seized the huge number of toys 'from a number of premises' across the borough.
The toys found 'can be a danger and a hazard to your child', said the council, issuing a warning and tips today, August 17.
"Our trading standards team have seized over 1,000 non-compliant toys from a number of premises in the borough. These toys can be a danger and a hazard to your child so please beware," said the council.
These are the local authority's top tips for buying safe toys:
- Where possible, buy your toys from reputable sellers. You may pay a little more but that’s often to ensure the product has had quality and safety checks
- Cheap counterfeit versions of products, especially toys are often poor quality and can easily break or, in some cases, be dangerous
- Look for the CE mark or UKCA mark (CE mark will be replaced with the UKCA mark from January 2022)
- Ensure that the toy is age suitable for the child receiving it and marked with the necessary warnings and instructions. The voluntary Toy and Hobby Association ‘Lion Mark’ is also an indicator that the product complies with legal safety rules
- Check the toy for loose pile fabric/hair or small detachable parts that could choke a young child and sharp points and edges or finger traps
- Be careful when buying second hand toys. These often come without their packaging or instructions
- Button batteries power many small toys and can be dangerous if swallowed. Batteries should be in secure screwed down flap/compartment
- Toys should have the name and address of the manufacturer, or if the manufacturer is outside the EU details of the EU importer. From 31 December 2021 EU details will not suffice and a UK importer name and address would be required
For more information, go to www.rochdale.gov.uk/business-and-industry/trading-standards.
