The consumer advocacy group Which? conducted an investigation into the safety of toys sold on online marketplaces in the lead-up to Christmas. Their findings revealed a concerning number of toys that posed potential choking, cutting, or strangulation hazards to children. Which? purchased 23 toys from popular online marketplaces, including AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, TikTok, Wish, and Temu, with prices ranging from just over £1 to higher amounts. Alarmingly, more than half of the tested toys (12) presented serious safety risks. These risks stemmed from small parts that could be swallowed, sharp points or edges capable of causing cuts, and ribbons or cords that presented strangulation hazards. Furthermore, many of the toys lacked proper safety markings or displayed incorrect markings, raising concerns about compliance with safety standards. In total, 21 of the 23 tested products either failed safety tests or had incorrect labeling. Subsequently, all 21 products that failed were removed from sale by the respective online marketplaces.
A key issue highlighted by Which? was the presence of small, detachable parts on some toys, posing a choking risk. One example was a magnetic fishing set purchased from an eBay seller, where the magnets easily detached. Which? warned that swallowed magnets could attract each other inside a child’s stomach, potentially leading to serious internal injuries. Two baby toys from TikTok Shop, a sensory fidget toy and musical car keys, also broke apart during testing, revealing small parts that could be choked on. Concerningly, Which? found a significant number of customer complaints about these products, citing poor quality and loose parts, with one customer even reporting that their baby had choked on a component. Further investigation uncovered similar hazards on toys purchased from other marketplaces, such as AliExpress and Fruugo.
AliExpress was the source of two toys that failed Which?’s rigorous testing. A wooden busy board shed small pieces during a tension test, and a toy phone also broke apart, releasing small, potentially hazardous components. A ring teether with bells and ribbons purchased from Fruugo presented a strangulation risk due to excessively long ribbons, exceeding the legal limit. Two crib toys from eBay lacked legally required safety warnings, further highlighting the lack of oversight on these platforms. A “busy cube” from AliExpress was flagged for sharp points that could puncture a child’s skin and exposed brackets and screws, while a musical elephant crib toy from Wish contained easily accessible button batteries, presenting a choking and chemical burn hazard.
Not all marketplaces fared poorly in the investigation. A set of animal fridge magnets purchased from Amazon was the only product that posed no serious safety risk and could be legally sold in the UK. While neither of the two products purchased from Temu posed a serious safety risk, one did not comply with UK electrical labeling regulations. This highlights the variability in safety standards even across different online marketplaces.
The findings from Which?’s investigation underscore the significant risks associated with purchasing toys, especially unbranded ones, from online marketplaces. The ease with which dangerous toys were found on these platforms is particularly alarming, especially considering the increased online shopping activity during the holiday season.
Rocio Concha, Which?’s director of policy and advocacy, expressed concern over the findings, stating that it was “frighteningly easy” to find dangerous toys for sale on popular online marketplaces. She urged shoppers to exercise caution when buying unbranded toys online and called upon the UK government to strengthen regulations and enforcement measures for online marketplaces to ensure the safety of products sold on their platforms. Concha specifically recommended that the government utilize the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to hold online marketplaces legally responsible for preventing the sale of unsafe items and to implement robust enforcement mechanisms, including hefty fines for non-compliance.
In response to the findings, the online marketplaces involved issued statements emphasizing their commitment to product safety and their efforts to remove the flagged listings. AliExpress, eBay, Fruugo, Temu, and TikTok each affirmed their dedication to consumer safety and highlighted their policies and procedures aimed at creating a safe online shopping environment. AliExpress stated they take product safety “very seriously” and have strict rules in place. eBay echoed this sentiment, emphasizing consumer safety as a “top priority.” Fruugo highlighted its product recall and withdrawal service. Temu stated its prioritization of consumer safety and requirement for sellers to comply with product standards, TikTok reinforced that the safety of its customers is of “utmost priority.” Wish, however, did not respond to Which?’s request for comment. These responses, while acknowledging the issue, ultimately place the responsibility on consumers to be vigilant when purchasing products online, particularly from third-party sellers on these platforms. The investigation underscores the need for increased regulation and oversight of online marketplaces to ensure the safety of products sold to consumers, especially children’s toys.
