Child Safety Week – do you know your EN71 from your CE?

There has been a lot of information in the press lately about toy safety, with the EU commissioner raising concerns about the influx of sub-standard toys from the Far East

As a manufacturer we care about the quality of our goods and have procedures in place to make sure that they are of the highest standards. So as a retailer what can you do to ensure the products you are selling are safe?

If you are selling soft toys in the UK then you should see the ‘CE’ mark on their labeling, what does this mean?

CE

The CE mark has been described as the toy’s passport. It is there to show that the manufacturer designed and made the toys in line with essential safety requirements of the European directive (EN71). It indicates that the manufacturer or importer of the toy has kept a technical file on the toy to show that it passes all European technical specifications. The CE mark must always be followed by the address of the manufacturer or importer so that if there ever is a problem they can be traced

EN71

The EEC laid down precise specifications of what is required in toys if they are to be sold in Europe and although soft toys are affected by most parts of the EN71 specifications there are 2 main parts which apply

EN71-1 Mechanical & Physical. We call this the pull and choke tests. Firstly any removable part must resist a pull equivalent to a 10kg weight dragging on it. With soft toys this usually applies to eyes. Secondly any removable parts must be able to go easily through a cylinder designed to be the same size as a child’s throat. Obviously this is a different size depending on what age the toy is targeted at. It is this test which the majority of toys seized by the authorities have failed. The specifications also includes seam strength, plastic bag safety and sharp edges

EN71 -2 Flammability. This is where we try and set fire to the toys. If the flame spreads at a rate of more than 30mm per second it fails!

So we would recommend that as a retailer you ask to see test certificates, give the occasional tweak to eyes and other small detachable parts of products you are selling and know your age restrictions

This is meant to be a brief over view of CE and EN71 markings and not a comprehensive guide, but if you need any more details then please do email Liz@bestyears.co.uk and she will be happy to fill in the details or direct you to the relevant department

Alternatively please contact your local Trading Standards office http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

We can highly recommend them for straight forward advice

New York or London retailing

I have just got back from New York and as a soft toy wholesaler I found it very interesting (it was supposed to be a holiday but since when did a small business owner ever totally switch off!)

Firstly the news that Toys R Us has taken over FAO Swartz was not a total surprise. I was surprised how uninspiring the shop was. Again as a soft toy wholesaler I was unimpressed by the ranges and as a parent of 2 girls I struggled to find gifts. The whole shop felt like a collection of concessions and I hope that a lot of money and thought now goes in to new ranges

In terms of the USA economy there were a lot of empty retail premises in New York, and even on 5th Avenue there were gaps. However the retailers left did not appear to be struggling. They all had Memorial Day Promotions but no one was slashing margins and prices were realistic. Perhaps now that the competition has thinned out there is enough money going around to support good retailers

Finally I was intrigued by the fact that in New York shops exist in blocks. We visited the fashion district where 5 or 6 large retailers, effectively offering exactly the same ranges, exist side by side. As a wholesaler we are always been asked for exclusivity in a geographical area and are happy to offer it but New York runs totally counter to this. Who is right? I don’t know I’m a wholesaler not a business consultant!

see www.bestyears.co.uk for more detail

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!