Faulty or dangerous toys make up the greatest proportion of recalls 
(28/12/2009)
According to the Consumer Focus Labs' Recalled Products website, children's toys account for more than a quarter of the 1,000 items recalled in the EU in the past six months. This includes a batch of Be My Baby dolls, which were last month voluntarily recalled in the UK by the company which sells them because they contain a dangerous level of toxic chemicals, and therefore pose a risk to young children.
Consumers are being warned to check they haven't bought any dangerous toys or other products in the run-up to the busy festive period.
Clothing and fashion products were the next highest category, making up just over 23 per cent of recalled items, while faulty or dangerous electrical appliances accounted for nine per cent.
Joe Cicero of Consumer Focus Labs said: "When you consider that faulty or dangerous toys make up the greatest proportion of recalls, it is important for consumers with families to be kept well-informed during the hectic Christmas period. We have seen several children's toy products voluntarily recalled by the manufacturers in the past month, with little or no publicity. Yet the chances are that people could have bought these toys for their children's Christmas stocking, and will then understandably forget all about them until their child unwraps it on Christmas Day.
"But it is not just toys; consumers need to be on alert for popular gift items like electrical appliances, clothing and beauty products. Defective goods can pose a real danger to consumers who are often unaware that they should be returned. It is important that the public are provided with access to information which can protect themselves and their families.
"Consumers usually become aware of recalls through chance - glimpses of notices in newspapers and shops and occasional checking of existing online listings services. We are currently investigating ways that information on recalled products can be made available to people who do not have access to the internet."
Consumers from more than 70 countries around the world have so far used Recalled Products site, which collects product recall data from the UK and the European Commission and publishes them via weekly or monthly email alerts and news feeds from the internet.
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