Toys Sales Peak at Festive Season

Nov. 1, 2012 - PRLog -- To meet the consumer demand for innovative new toys and timeless favorites alike at the most demanding time of year, your focus must not only be on quantity, but also on quality.

Increased demand can exert commercial pressure to stock shelves and fulfill consumer aspirations, but parents are more aware than ever about toy safety and better informed about what to look for on a toy to guarantee its safety. Toy actors must ensure that their toys have appropriate labeling/warnings (CE mark, 0-3 years symbol), appropriate age grading, instructions, etc.

Education through EU Toy Safety Campaign
Educating industry and consumers alike, the European Commission, together with Toy Industries of Europe (TIE), has launched the European Toy Safety Information Campaign including a new video that offers consumers advice on how to buy safe toys and use them safely.  The animated robot ‘CE-e’ draws attention to key safety tips (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/tst-campaign/index_en.htm).

Moreover, a leaflet (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/files/toys-safety-tips/toy_safety_tips_en.pdf) outlining toy safety tips is available.

Within the industry, this campaign aims to increase knowledge about the new Toy Safety Directive among toy manufacturers and other toy sector players (importers, distributors). Eight seminars to explain the changes the new Directive entails have already been held in 2012 and further seminars (http://www.tietoy.org/calendar/) are planned for Malmö (covering Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and Madrid (for Spanish and Portuguese toy sector players).

Increased Market Surveillance throughout Christmas Shopping Period
All toys manufactured for sale within the EU since July 2011 must comply with the requirements of the EU Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC). New and revised chemical requirements of the EU Toy Directive will be applicable from 20 July 2013.

The seasonal peak in toy sales combined with the strengthened requirements of the EU Toy Safety Directive mean that you may see market surveillance increased and reinforced in the coming months. Unsafe toys have the potential to damage a child’s health. Counterfeit toys can damage your business. The festive season’s sales peak simply increases the risk of unsafe or counterfeit products reaching the market.

To assist responsible manufacturers, importers and retailers, RAPEX (http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm) - the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products - will include notifications of counterfeit toys and unlawful copies that have been identified as posing a risk to children.

About SGS Toy Safety Solutions
With the largest global network of consumer goods experts and testing facilities around the world, SGS is the partner to trust. SGS offers a complete range of training services to help you understand the new requirements and the broadest range of testing services to ensure that your products comply with EU Toy Safety Directive (http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Toys-and-Juvenile-Products/Toys/EU-Toy-Directive.aspx). SGS’ testing, safety/risk assessments, technical documentation reviews, inspection and audit services can help you improve your access to markets, while also reducing product recalls and cutting the cost of achieving compliance.

For more information please contact your local SGS representative or the global SGS team.

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services

Sanda Stefanovic

Senior Toy Expert

SGS Nederland BV

Malledijk 18, PO Box 200

3200 AE Spijkenisse

The Netherlands

t: +31 181 694517

Email: cts.media@sgs.com

Website: http://www.sgs.com/pages/consumer-testing/sgs-consumer-goods-and-retail.aspx

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With 70,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,350 offices and laboratories around the world.