Traders urged to check safety of new viral toys

 

* Retailers are being urged to make sure their stock is compliant with UK legislation.

Following the recent crackdown on counterfeit goods in the county with saw over 600 products seized, Denbighshire County Council's trading standards team are reminding residents and traders to stay vigilant as the latest social media craze hits the shelves. 

Squishy Dumplings and NeeDoh are some of the newest "fidget" toys that have gained popularity on social media recently, and as demand for them has increased officers say they have also noticed an increase in counterfeit versions being sold across the county.

In their commitment to crackdown on counterfeit goods, trading standards are now urging retailers to make sure their stock is compliant with UK legislation and reminding residents of common signs they can look out for when it comes to spotting counterfeit goods, including:

• The name and address of the manufacturer. If the manufacturer is outside the UK, the name and address of the manufacturer and the importer into the UK are to be used instead.
• Type, batch, serial or model number.
• The CE and/or UKCA mark – These marks are a declaration by the manufacturer that the toy is safe which must be on the toy or its packaging and be permanent and easy to read.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “We have noticed the influence that social media trends have had on the rise of counterfeit goods being sold. The growing popularity of these ‘squishy’ products has led to an increase in demand with criminals looking to cash in on making cheap counterfeit versions.

“Genuine products have undergone strict safety testing and counterfeit versions may not meet this standard posing risks to users, in particular children, as counterfeit versions are likely to contain inadequate or missing labelling and made from unsafe unsuitable materials.

“Our officers have been working hard to crackdown on the sale of counterfeit goods by educating retailers and customers and conducting visits to different premises across the county. They recently carried out a number of visits in the county which led to large seizure of counterfeit and/or potentially unsafe items."  

* Anybody who has bought a toy or any product and believe it to be counterfeit or unsafe should report it to Citizens Advice customer service by telephone - 0808 223 1133 (Welsh language line: 0808 223 1144) or online: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/

Businesses can get in touch with Denbighshire’s Trading Standards Team for advice on counterfeit products on Denbighshire’s website .