NORFOLK, Va. — The holiday season is upon us, which means a lot of families are buying toys for either their own children or to donate to others.
While parents, guardians, and friends have their hearts in the right place, the gifts that end up under the tree are not always safe.
Often, the toys are bought because they are cheap — and because shipping is convenient.
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“A lot of people like to save money," says Teresa Murray, a consumer watchdog with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "I mean, I like to save money, but you have to think about what is the quality that you're getting.”
But is the toy that's in your cart — for only a few bucks and free shipping — worth it?
Does it comply with U.S. safety requirements? Or is it being shipped to you directly without being inspected?
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In PIRG’s Trouble in Toyland 2024 report, consumer advocates found that there's a loophole allowing unsafe toys to get into the U.S. and subsequently into your home.
Toys and other imported products slip through regulation in two key ways:
- Online sales, with packages mailed directly to consumers.
- Shipments that arrive at the ports, but their shippers claim the crates or containers are of such low value that they don’t warrant paperwork or inspection and aren’t subject to duties or taxes. These shipments may be on their way to warehouses for traditional or online U.S.-based sellers. The low-value shipments are called de minimis.
According to PIRG, there are nearly 3 million shipments that arrive at U.S. ports each day containing a variety of consumer products.
Murray, who spearheaded the "Trouble in Toyland 2024" report, says toys are often shipped in bulk from other countries below the threshold that requires examination.
So, that means when they show up at the port, there are not any red flags for Customs and Border Protection to inspect.
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Murray says it is not just companies overseas either. Her team found that online retailers are also shipping possibly dangerous toys because they do not have to go by the same laws that brick-and-mortar stores do.
“It’s a huge issue, especially in the last couple of years,” Murray says. “When these companies are shipping direct-to-consumer, the toys are oftentimes not inspected. They oftentimes do not meet safety standards, and it's just a mess, and it’s, frankly, putting our kids at risk.”
Murray says their report also found issues with toys that use artificial intelligence and water beads.
I have reported on the dangers of water beads a bunch over the years — most recently after a 10-month-old died from ingesting them.
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The purpose of this report is not to scare you from buying toys, but to remind consumers to be careful.
If you’re shopping for kid's toys this year, buy from vetted sellers when possible, and know that if something is really cheap, there's probably a reason.
PIRG recommends when shopping online, check the seller information and the estimated shipping time. If it is really cheap and takes a few weeks to ship, that should be a red flag.
Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website for recalled items.
