Holiday Toy Safety 365 Days a Year

The Toy Association Debunks False Claims About Toy Safety

While those of us in the toy industry know our deep commitment to safety, each November we inevitably see the release of “dangerous toy” lists from NGO groups. These lists, filled with inaccurate and misleading information, do nothing more than create unnecessary fear in parents, and therefore sow doubt for the entire toy & play sector, as the holiday season draws near. Meanwhile, these groups advance their own agendas and holiday fundraising appeals and garner sensational headlines.

Again this year, U.S. PIRG and W.A.T.C.H. put out their groundless reports ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, and The Toy Association was there to contest their claims by providing facts, data, and proof about the billions of compliant toys sold in our country each year. What’s more, we again made proactive outreach to support and counsel all member companies targeted by these groups.

In the end, our effective year-round efforts to educate both media and families on how to keep children safe at play together with the toy industry’s dedication to safety continue to pay off. That positive impact becomes even more evident during the holidays. This year, PIRG’s media reach significantly declined, with about half the number of media placements covering its report compared to 2019 (386 placements this year versus 734 in 2019). Of those, The Toy Association’s statement was mentioned and/or Toy Association staff was interviewed in 42 percent of the media coverage – up 12 percent over 2019.

What’s more, we again made proactive outreach to support and counsel all member companies targeted by these groups.

As for coverage of the W.A.T.C.H. report, released the Monday before Thanksgiving, there were 528 fewer total media placements compared to last year (1,108 placements in 2020 versus 1,636 placements in 2019). The Toy Association statement, explaining that W.A.T.C.H. does not actually test the toys in its report and that their personal views and allegations appear to be based on their misrepresentation of the mandatory toy standards, was included in 81 percent of all print/online W.A.T.C.H. coverage this year.

We believe the decline in media interest in these reports can be attributed in part to The Toy Association’s aggressive ongoing safety communications, which has also put a spotlight on the many inaccuracies, myths, and exaggerations in the reports year after year. With every passing day, more media rely on us for information, perspective, and data on toy safety, recalls, and helpful consumer tips.

Designing, manufacturing, and selling safe toys for children is the toy industry’s top priority and involves adhering to a mandatory set of 100+ rigorous safety requirements that are continually reviewed and revised by government, medical, and child development experts. The toy community has a remarkable record of producing safe product – and recalls are exceedingly rare. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission consistently lists toys among the safest consumer product categories found in the home.

The Toy Association continues to educate consumers about the safety of toys sold by legitimate/verified sellers and to provide shoppers with safe toy, play, and shopping tips at www.PlaySafe.org – including how to spot and avoid purchasing counterfeit and imitation toys, the importance of parental supervision during play, and why the age-label on toy packaging matters. And, yes, we report on every toy recall that might occur each year.

In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission consistently lists toys among the safest consumer product categories found in the home.

The real irony is groups like PIRG and W.A.T.C.H. could contribute meaningfully to the safety conversation and do actually include important points that we, too, embrace, such as avoiding counterfeits sold online and being mindful of following age gradings. Yet instead of amplifying these helpful points that are less sensational but more essential, they choose to bury them beneath scare tactics that do nothing to advance toy safety and result in very little, if any, real value to the public.

We encourage our members in manufacturing, retail and every other facet of the toy & play community to reach out to The Toy Association’s communications team should they receive media questions about toy safety and to continually share the safety advice found at www.PlaySafe.org with parents and caregivers through digital, social, and other media communications. It's a year-round message that must be continually repeated!

With parents planning to do 58 percent of their 2020 holiday toy shopping online, it's critical that they follow The Toy Association's top tips for avoiding counterfeits. Parents and all caring adults are urged to share this advice with family members and other gift-givers – and to visit www.PlaySafe.org for more safety advice.

• TIP #1 – AVOID SHADY SELLERS: Dig deep into a lesser-known seller's online presence and reviews to be sure the toy under consideration is authentic – and therefore, safe. Can't find a website for the manufacturer or seller? That's one red flag. Multiple grammatical errors in a product description or poorly photoshopped pictures are also red flags. A great alternative is to visit the toy brand's website and either purchase directly from the site or follow links to an official retailer to purchase. And remember: if a deal seems too good to be true, the product might be a counterfeit or imitation. A fake toy or cheaper alternative might be unsafe; it's just not worth the risk.
• TIP #2 – AGE MATTERS: Following the age label on toy packaging can save a child from serious injury. For example, toys labeled 3+ might contain small parts that are a choking hazard for children under three (or those who still mouth toys). More than a quarter (26 percent) of parents surveyed said their child has a received a toy intended for older children, proving that gift-givers need to be better educated on the importance of heeding age labels.
• TIP #3 – AVOID DANGEROUS NON-TOY GIFTS: A surprising 15 percent of parents surveyed said their child has received a gift that was not a toy. Yet items like office supplies, desk puzzles, home decorations, watches, and remote controls that are not meant for children may contain small batteries and/or high-powered magnets that can be accessed by children and very dangerous if accidentally swallowed. Your best bet is to stick with purchasing toys intended for children, since there are strict federal standards in place to make sure those products are safe.

Ahead of playtime, parents should always read the instructions for assembly and use. For children that are too young to read, demonstrating how to play with a toy is the best way to make sure they understand how to safely enjoy it. Best of all, playing together as a family is lots of fun and even has enhanced developmental benefits for children.

All good wishes for a joyous, healthy and safe holiday season,

Steve Pasierb

President & CEO