With Black Friday fast approaching, holiday gift-givers should take a look at the recently released annual ‘Trouble in Toyland’ report.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is calling for consumers to not assume that every dangerous toy is out of stores.
“There is information out there that parents and loved ones can research when they buy the toy to find out if it has been recalled,” DePasquale said. “But I also know the reality is that most people aren’t going to do that. They assume that when a toy is on a shelf that it’s okay to buy.”
Toy safety standards are enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which has announced 12 recalls of toys and children’s products this year. Because manufacturers are not required to inform the public how many toys were returned or repaired, it’s is impossible to know how many might still be in homes.
DePasquale notes that progress is being made to remove potentially unsafe items quickly from public purchase but ongoing attention and vigilance is necessary.
“When we were kids some of this stuff was sold, but it didn’t make you tougher. It was actually quite stupid that some of this stuff was on the shelves,” DePasquale said. “It’s good that this progress is being made so that parents don’t have to worry about their two-year-old choking on a toy that everyone in the company knew was a dangerous toy.”
Beyond toys that could pose physical risks, this year’s Trouble in Toyland report includes interactive, internet-connected electronic toys that could present privacy concerns. To review the 2019 report, visit ToySafetyTips.org.