Urgent action taken by the Commerce Commission has led to product recalls to stop the sale of items that could be unsafe including children’s toys, baby rattles, bikes, and baby walkers sold at Panda Mart.

“Businesses must ensure that the products they supply comply with legal requirements and are safe for the intended user - particularly toys for small children where the consequences of unsafe items can be dire,” Commerce Commission Deputy Chair Anne Callinan says.

In product safety inspections, the Commission identified a significant number of products it is concerned do not comply with Product Safety Standards or Unsafe Goods Notices.

“We urge all parents who have these toys, bikes, or other products to return them – the dollar value of the products might be small, but the risk of harm to young children is not worth taking,” Ms Callinan says.

“As people hit the shops to pick up last-minute gifts, it’s important to be aware of the rules around product safety and know what to look out for.

“From an initial review of Panda Mart we found 20 toys we’re concerned are unsafe. They’re intended for kids under three and have small parts, don’t seem sturdy enough to take the knocks they’ll get during child play, or could be a suffocation risk.

“It’s harder for children under three to cough things up and so there’s a higher risk that they could choke if they swallow things on accident. To avoid this risk, toys for small children should be larger than the average size and shape of a child’s throat – anything smaller than a ping pong ball would raise concerns,” Ms Callinan says.

Toys should also be solid enough that they won’t break into small parts during usual child play, as these smaller parts are choking hazards.

“Babies often put things in their mouth and so there’s a high chance a baby rattle will end up in there as well. Rattles shouldn’t be a size or shape that could get lodged in a baby’s throat and block their airways,” Ms Callinan says.

Seven bikes were identified as non-compliant, including two children’s bikes that did not have rear pedal brakes. Children’s bikes without rear pedal brakes can be dangerous as kids may not have the hand strength or coordination to use handbrakes.

Panda Mart is working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment and have issued a product recall for a significant number of products including toys, baby rattles, bikes, baby walkers, hot water bottles, and sunscreen. The full list is on the Commerce Commission website : https://comcom.govt.nz/case-register/case-register-entries/pdm-trading-ltd-ta-pandamart-and-pd-mart/_nocache

The Commission strongly encourages any consumers who have any of the products identified in the recall notices to return them to Panda Mart for a full refund. The Commission has an ongoing investigation into Panda Mart.

The Commerce Commission is responsible for ensuring compliance with product safety standards that are mandatory for certain items including baby walkers, children’s nightwear, children’s toys, household cots, pedal bicycles, and sunscreen.

If parents or caregivers are worried a toy doesn’t comply with the relevant Product Safety Standard, they should raise their concern with the seller and inform the Commerce Commission via its website.

Note: More information on product safety and kids toys : https://comcom.govt.nz/consumers/product-safety-and-consumer-information-standards

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