How safe are the toys in your new country?
If you’re moving abroad toy standards in your new home probably aren’t something that has been worrying you. However, if you are used to the highly regulated EU or U.S. safety standards, it pays to double check the quality of toys before you buy them abroad.
The EU has some of the toughest toy safety laws in the world and has released this video to advise parents on how to buy and use toys safely.
All toys in the EU which have passed the strict regulations will have a CE mark on them. You can buy these toys knowing they follow all applicable safety guidelines. The EU Toy Safety Campaign also reminds parents to read guidelines and safety information that comes with toys. Many accidents happen because the toy or device isn’t be used correctly.
The United States also has some of the strictest regulations on toy manufacturing and safety. In the news recently was the recall of 4 million Bumbo baby seats sold in the U.S. The South African manufacturer of the baby seats is recalling the product after 22 reports of babies falling from the seats and fracturing their skulls.
A survey on babyzone.com asks parents what they do when there is a baby product recall. Nearly half (44%) said they would replace the product immediately as they “don’t want to have anything to do with an unsafe product”. Over a quarter (27%) answered with “repair it – I order the repair kit immediately” and 25% said it depends on how unsafe the product is.
When you are living abroad it can be hard to keep up with changing regulations and product recalls. It is best to find the regulatory standards board for your country and check their website often. Check this website for a list of national toy standards committees.
Have you ever bought a defective toy? What did you do? Let us know in the comments below.