Santa Claus “dubious” about Chinese toys
New York. “Made in China”. This label scares “Santa Clauses” all over the United States. In 2007, about 30 million toys, most of them made in China, had to be recalled (photo: recalled Mattel jeep made in China). One of the main reasons for those recalls was the use of lead paint. According to a recent Harris poll, 33% of Americans say they will be buying fewer toys this holiday seasons due to recent safety recalls and 45% indicate they will avoid buying toys manufactured in China. Toy manufacturers are worried about the impact of the recalls on consumers. Their attitudes towards Chinese products have soured and now threaten the $22-billion toy industry. About 80% of all toys sold in the US come from China. On November 23, toy stores were jammed for Black Friday. Retailers, trying to lure shoppers into their stores offered massive deals. Toys “R” Us Inc. offered four times as many early morning specials as it did last year. Toys “R” Us refused to comment on its sales figures but reaffirmed in a statement what the company calls a “strong commitment to safety”. Toy Industry Association (TIA), the trade association for US producers and importers of toys, recently launched toyinfo.org, a website about toy safety. On November 15, the TIA organized a conference in China. In order to try to reassure US consumers, the TIA president called on Chinese manufacturers to perform exhaustive testing of products. The TIA also supports efforts by US lawmakers to promote a bill that would require that all toys sold in the U.S. undergo independent testing. This piece of legislation may be adopted before Congress adjourns for Christmas. On Monday November 19, the California attorney general and Los Angeles city attorney filed a lawsuit against 20 companies including Mattel Inc, Toys “R” Us Inc and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The lawsuit accuses the companies of having knowingly exposed children to lead paint. In a statement, Mattel, the world’s largest producer of toys, reaffirmed its commitment to work with the State of California to improve toy safety. This month, the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif., said that of 100 toys it purchased in a week, nine had lead above the legal limit. On Black Friday, Consumers Union launched 12-day campaign in New York, Boston, Chicago and Minneapolis, calling on manufacturers, retailers, and government agencies to develop effective measures to prevent unsafe products from being sold. “We have to protect our children, said Jean Halloran, one of the coordinators in New York of this campaign of consumer activism. We need all toys imported to the US to be tested independently”. Jean-Cosme Delaloye / New York CommentsYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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