by MADDIE MICHALIK, Assistant Supervisor of Content material and Digital Communications, The Toy Affiliation
As youngsters made their vacation want lists and checked them twice, 9 in 10 dad and mom turned to on-line marketplaces to finish their toy procuring, in accordance with a 2024 survey of 1,000 U.S. dad and mom performed by Wakefield Analysis on behalf of The Toy Association. Whereas the comfort of on-line procuring is usually a lifesaver for busy households, this ease might include hidden dangers if customers aren’t paying shut consideration to the sources from which they buy toys.
Alarmingly, almost half (47%) of oldsters reported buying a toy on-line that they later found or suspected was counterfeit. This surge in counterfeit merchandise has left many dad and mom questioning the legitimacy of their purchases, with three in 4 dad and mom (75%) believing it’s more and more troublesome to determine faux toys and video games. Why does it matter? A toy from an organization in a rush to make a buck that doesn’t adjust to copyright regulation additionally seemingly skips the all-important compliance with safety standards.
By regulation within the U.S., toymakers and sellers should adjust to greater than 100 completely different security requirements and assessments, and toys have to be licensed as compliant earlier than being offered. Nevertheless, the rise of illegitimate toys is a urgent concern for customers. With toy purchasers lured by offers proliferating throughout social media that appear “too good to be true,” many unsuspecting customers might unknowingly buy unsafe merchandise from rogue sellers. Moreover, the recognition of some e-commerce platforms that wouldn’t have compliance checks in place and permit sellers to misrepresent merchandise will increase the chance of unsafe, counterfeit toys slipping via the cracks. Distinguishing secure, reliable toys from their faux counterparts turns into much more daunting for folks.
The Toy Affiliation has been energetic in its year-round efforts to advertise toy security, most just lately concluding its fourth annual Toy Security Consciousness Month in November, devoted to educating customers about secure play forward of the vacations. All through the month, toy professionals have been inspired to make the most of The Toy Affiliation’s complete assets — from sharing recommendations on easy methods to spot faux merchandise to playsafe.org, the trade’s premier play security useful resource for customers — to coach dad and mom and caregivers to make knowledgeable choices when vacation toy procuring, each on-line and in shops.
“Accountable toy producers and retailers work year-round to design, produce, and ship secure merchandise which might be licensed as compliant,” stated Joan Lawrence, The Toy Affiliation’s “Toy Security Mother” and Senior Vice President of Requirements and Regulatory Affairs. “Making certain secure play is our shared purpose, and Toy Security Consciousness Month goals to strengthen to households, caregivers, and others how to make sure that each play alternative is enjoyable and secure. Our assets information customers on easy methods to keep away from counterfeit toys and supply important ideas for vacation procuring so that each reward brings pleasure and is safely loved by kids and households.”
Toy Security Consciousness Month is only one part of the Affiliation’s year-round security efforts. The Toy Affiliation additionally works 12 months a 12 months on points together with advocating for the passage of counterfeit-curbing laws within the U.S., just like the SHOP SAFE Act, and inspiring robust enforcement of counterfeit merchandise that don’t adjust to U.S. security requirements, whereas main the continued overview of security requirements and efforts to align requirements all over the world.
The Toy Affiliation additionally helps designers and producers all year long to make sure they’re updated on the most recent security requirements and laws for compliance. This ranges from presenting toy security fundamentals to university-level college students to internet hosting webinars on product compliance and updates to ASTM F963 necessities. The digital, on-demand Security Schooling Program additionally supplies contributors with an in depth overview of the important thing state, federal, and worldwide security laws and necessities impacting the trade.
The Toy Affiliation’s No. 1 precedence is toy security, with a dedication to rigorous advocacy work and client schooling — as a result of security considerations ought to by no means overshadow a toddler’s pleasure of receiving a brand new toy. To study extra about The Toy Affiliation’s safety-related advocacy work, go to toyassociation.org/safety.
A model of this function was initially printed in The Toy Guide’s 2025 Worldwide Innovation Situation. Click here to learn the complete problem! Wish to obtain The Toy Guide in print? Click here for subscription choices!
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