Trading standards warning after fake toys seized in county

Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team removed fruit-shaped squishy stress relievers, squeeze balls and bogus NeeDoh Nice Cubes from sale after discovering they were missing vital safety labelling.

All toys sold in the UK should show a UKCA or CE mark, clear instructions and the name and address of a UK manufacturer or importer.

Davina Walkin, the council’s trading standards operations manager, said: “Toys that are untraceable, with no UK manufacturer or importer details, mean there is no one to take legal responsibility for the product.

“These items often bypass mandatory safety testing and have been found to contain dangerous substances such as phthalates and benzene. If a toy cannot be traced back to a responsible UK business, it should not be on sale.”

Councillor Kate Gregory, cabinet member for public health and inequalities, urged parents and carers to check toys before buying.

She said: “It can be really easy as a parent to be drawn into buying a bargain toy for our children, especially as we try to keep up with the latest trends.

“But sometimes these can be too good to be true. Fake toys can lack important safety features and information that are required by law and, in some cases, could be harmful.”