The Council’s Trading Standards team have been making the borough a safer place after removing a large amount of illegal and unsafe toys.
From potential choking hazards to a lack of trademarks, there were multiple reasons the near 600 toys were removed from numerous Cleethorpes premises.
Over the course of two days, officers removed soft toys, action figures and various other items. These actions mean potentially harmful/illegal products are no longer on sale in the seaside resort.
Children’s toys such as these should be tested to ensure compliance with British Standards and also require CE marking before they can be sold. The toys should also not breach a registered trademark, another sign they could be unsafe.
Effectively, the CE mark means the product complies with the essential product safety standards. Manufacturers who use the mark must also issue a declaration of conformity to show they are complying with the relevant tests needed to obtain a legitimate CE mark.
Other toys did not display the relevant Trademark to show the correct legal steps have been taken. In certain cases, the toys were deemed to be unsafe – this included being a choking hazard or containing dangerous elements. For example, a fake Labubu contained a battery pack which secured the batteries using gaffer tape,
These issues mean they are in breach of the Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011 which states that all toys must clearly display:
- Manufacturer information (including a registered trademark where appropriate)
- Importer information
- Product ID
- Compliance marks (including the CE mark)
- Safety Warnings
Councillor James Sawkins, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “As we head into the busy Summer season, we need to make sure our traders are providing safe, licensed products to residents and those visiting Cleethorpes.
“This is a massive operation that has been successfully carried out by the Trading Standards team, taking potentially dangerous items out of the shops and off the streets.
“Well done to all involved. If you feel a product may be fraudulent, please report it to the team to help – action can’t be taken without it being reported.”
To report any suspicions you may have to Trading Standards, email them on [email protected] or call (01472) 326299, option 3.
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