Warning for parents over danger toys this Christmas that could choke, cut or strangle children

PARENTS have been issued a warning ahead of Christmas over a number of toys that could potentially choke, cut or strangle their kids.

An investigation by consumer champion Which? has found a number toys sold on online marketplaces pose a serious safety risk to little ones.

Which? bought 23 toys off online marketplaces including AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, TikTok and Wish, with prices starting from just £1.07.

Shockingly, it found more than half of the items (12) posed serious safety risks to children, including the risk of choking, sharp points that could cut them, as well as strangulation.

Many of the toys also had missing or incorrect markings used to show whether a product is safe or meets certain quality standards.

In total, Which? found 21 out of 23 products it tested were either marked wrongly or posed safety concerns.

All 21 products that failed tests have been removed from sale by the online marketplaces.

One of the issues flagged by Which? was that some small parts on products posing a choking risk to kids.

This was spotted on a magnetic fishing set bought from an eBay seller, where the magnets detached.

Which? said this could cause a serious safety hazard because, if they were swallowed, the magnets could attract in a child’s stomach and tear through the lining of their gut.

Two baby toys, a sensory fidget toy and musical car keys, from TikTok Shop, also broke apart during testing.

Which? also found a large number of customers complaining about the poor quality and loose parts on the product, with one even stating that their baby “choked”.

Meanwhile, Which? found two products from AliExpress failed rigorous testing.

The keys and dial on a wooden busy board broke into small pieces during a tension test while small bits broke away on a toy phone.

The tests also revealed a ring teether with bells and ribbons from Fruugo that posed a strangulation risk as the ribbons were longer than the legal limit.

Two crib toys from eBay failed testing as they did not come with the legally required safety warnings.

A “busy cube” from AliExpress was deemed by Which? to have sharp points on it that could cause punctures to a small child’s skin.

Which? also found the product had exposed edges of brackets and screws.

Meanwhile, a musical elephant-shaped hanging crib toy from online seller Wish was found to have button batteries that were not safely secured in the battery compartment and posed a choking and swallowing risk for small children.

One of the 23 items, a set of animal fridge magnets, and the only product Which? bought from Amazon – did not pose a serious safety risk to children and could be legally sold in the UK.

Neither of the two products bought on Temu posed a serious safety risk, but one of them could not be legally sold in the UK because Which?’s assessments found that the electrical labelling did not comply with UK regulations.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said of the findings: “It was frighteningly easy for Which? to find dangerous toys for sale on some of the world’s most popular online marketplaces – and this is particularly worrying when we know many people are shopping for affordable gifts ahead of Christmas.

“We would recommend that shoppers be careful about buying unbranded toys on online marketplaces, as it is hard to have confidence that they will meet UK safety standards set in law to protect consumers.

“The UK government must act fast and use its Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to put much greater legal responsibility on online marketplaces for keeping unsafe items off their platforms.

“This must include allowing tough enforcement action, such as heavy fines, if they breach the rules.”

In response to the findings, a spokesperson for AliExpress said it took product safety “very seriously” and had strict rules and policies in place to ensure a “safe online shopping environment”.

An eBay spokesperson said consumer safety was a “top priority”, adding that it had removed the listings reported to it by Which?.

A spokesperson for Fruugo said it took safety issues “extremely seriously”, citing its product recall and withdrawal service.

A spokesperson for Temu said it prioritised consumer safety and requires sellers to comply with product standards.

A spokesperson for TikTok said the safety of its customers was of its “utmost priority”.

Wish did not respond to Which?’s request for comment.

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