A consumer advocacy group in Massachusetts is warning shoppers this holiday season to be on guard for knockoff toys.
Counterfeit versions of popular toys could flaunt existing safety standards, contain toxic materials, and break more easily, warns Marissa Zampino, an associate with the MassPIRG Education Fund.
“While not every counterfeit or knockoff toy may be dangerous, it should alarm parents that they could buy imitators that have not undergone proper testing,” she said.
Knockoff toys is one of the seven chief safety concerns highlighted in the 36th annual “Trouble in Toyland” report issued by the consumer group.
The report notes efforts by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to stop knockoffs from hitting the market. A shipment of 16,000 motorized hoverboards were discovered with counterfeit product safety seals. Agents have seized shipping containers of toys that tests found to contain toxic chemicals.
“Toxic chemicals in toys can be incredibly dangerous because they are not visible to you or me,” Zampino said.
With more and more shopping taking place online, Zampino warned that secondhand toys have been found for sale that don’t meet current safety standards.
“On Ebay, we found listings for recalled toys that did not mention the recall or denote if the toy had been fixed so it was legal to sell,” she said.
Other concerns in the report are familiar from past years such as toys with small parts that pose an ingestion or a choking risk.
Then there are noisy toys – not just annoying, but potentially damaging to a child’s hearing.
Smart toys and game consoles come with security and privacy concerns, according to the report. It urges parents and guardians to supervise the setting up of the online features and understand what information is stored and who has access to it.
Zampino said a shopping guide that includes tips for spotting counterfeit toys is on MassPIRG’s website.
“With the pandemic and supply chain problems prompting more online shopping, it is more important than ever for gift-buyers to recognize potential safety hazards for children on their holiday lists,” she said.
Joining Zampino at a press conference to announce the release of the report was Dexter Johnson, the CEO of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, who said parents need to use discretion when it comes to age suggestions for toys.
“ Whether is it parents, or grandparents, whoever is purchasing gifts to take a look at not just the age appropriate guidelines on the label, but think about who else is in the house or may be frequent visitors to the house,” he said.
On the federal level, MassPIRG is urging Congress to pass a new bill that would ensure online shoppers can verify basic identification and contact information for third-party sellers, which the consumer advocates say would mean better protection against counterfeit products.
