Parents are being urged to check for unsafe ‘squishy’ toys in their homes after the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading seized products that failed to meet basic safety standards. The warning comes after a Douglas retailer had 81 unsafe items seized when an inspection highlighted safety concerns.
The items seized included squishy dumplings and other squishy fidget toys. All of the items failed to meet well established safety requirements with some also having trademark infringing images. Safety concerns included choking hazards, the lack of age warnings, chemical hazards and labelling issues.
A good way to identify whether these toys are genuine is to look closely at the packaging. If the packaging simply states where the item was made but does not include the details of a supplier or importer based in the UK or EU, there is a strong chance that it is not a genuine product.
Tim Glover MHK, Chairman of the OFT, said:
‘These seemingly fun products may look harmless, but if they haven’t been made to the right standards they can pose a real risk to children. We would urge parents to check any squishy toys they may have and, if they have any concerns, to stop using them immediately and keep them out of reach of children.’
Parents should check that any squishy toys carry the appropriate CE or UKCA safety markings, age warning signs and instructions for use. Products without these markings may not meet UK safety standards. Anyone with concerns can contact the OFT for advice on +44 1624 686500 or by email at oft@gov.im.
