Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts today revealed the dangerous toys and products uncovered during Fair Trading’s pre-Christmas compliance checks.
Mr Roberts said Fair Trading has inspected more than 1,103 product lines targeted at children and 1,813 electrical products including Christmas lights, decorations, cords, chargers and adaptors.
“Fair Trading officers identified 63 dangerous toys and products as well as 48 electrical items during the blitz on retailers in the lead up to the holiday season,” Mr Roberts said.
“It is vital that anyone buying toys for young children makes sure they are safe and suitable.
“Toys with small parts and small objects like coins, batteries, magnets and screws should not be given to children under three years of age.”
The haul of dangerous products included:
• 39 varieties of toys for children aged under three;
• 13 projectile toys that had the potential to cause significant eye injuries;
• 11 other non-compliant products including seven aquatic products, one banned toy-like novelty cigarette lighter, two toys containing magnets and one baby walker; and
• A child-appealing Santa table lamp, a V-MAX remote control helicopter with power supply, LED twinkle and multi-function Christmas lights.
Mr Roberts said Fair Trading has set its sights on traders and directors previously prosecuted for supplying dangerous and non-compliant toys.
“Traders selling dangerous toys are putting their profits ahead of the safety of children and that is not acceptable,” Mr Roberts said.
“This year Fair Trading will seek orders in the Supreme Court to ban traders who have previously been prosecuted for supplying dangerous or non-compliant toys.”
Thousands of dangerous toys collected by Fair Trading were destroyed.
Choice spokesman, Tom Godfrey, said the results of toy testing undertaken for Fair Trading were deeply concerning.
“We welcome Fair Trading’s decision to send killer toys to the Christmas crusher,” he said.
Mr Roberts said electrical goods should only be bought from reputable stores and all products must have approval marks.
“Don’t buy electrical products because they are cheap, you could be putting your safety at risk,” he said.
