Common reasons toy products fail compliance testing or certification

As a toy brand or manufacturer, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and standards is critical for maintaining the trust and loyalty of your customers and making sure that your toy products are safe for children to play with.

However, compliance testing and certification can be a daunting task. Failure to comply with relevant standards can have serious consequences. These can include product recalls, legal liabilities, financial losses or damage to your company's reputation.

Our toy testing experts have identified the top three reasons why toy products fail compliance testing or certification:

1. Physical and mechanical non-compliances

Physical and mechanical compliance testing focuses on the safety and durability of the toy’s physical structure, components, and design. Failing to meet the compliance requirement in this aspect can lead to injuries or accidents during normal use, as well as potential choking or suffocation hazards for young children. Here are some common examples of physical and mechanical non-compliance:

Choking hazards with small parts

Toys that have small parts of detachable components that could be easily swallowed are not compliant with safety regulations. In the United States, 16 C.F.R. 1501.4 defines a small part as any object that can fit into a test cylinder. This test cylinder is 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches wide. It is designed to approximate the size of the fully expanded throat of a child under three years old.

Similarly, the European standard EN 71-1 also indicates that a toy product and its removable components shall need to fit entirely into the cylinder (cylinder dimensions: 25.4 x 31.7x 57.1 mm).

This includes items such as buttons, beads, magnets, small balls, detachable battery cover with exposure of button-cell batteries, and squeeze toys that are small enough to lodge in the throat.

Strangulation hazards with cords

In the European standard EN71-1, it defines the requirements for cords, chains and electrical cables in toys, which may become tangled and pose a danger to infants or children. For example: the length of cords and chains of toys for under 18 months shall not be longer than 220 mm or for ages between 18 months and 36 months shall be equal to or less than 300 mm between other requirements. Otherwise, it is non-compliant.

2. Chemical non-compliances

Chemical compliance testing focuses on the presence of hazardous substances and chemicals in the materials and components of a toy product. Non-compliance in this part can cause adverse health issues for children. Common examples of chemical non-compliance include: 

Lead and other heavy metals

Toys that contain exceeded amounts of lead, aluminium, chromium VI and other regulated heavy metals are not compliant with safety regulations. According to the European Directive 2009/48/EC, the limit values for the above heavy metals used in toy manufacture are split into 3 categories:

Phthalates and other plasticisers

Phthalates (e.g., BBP, DBP, DEHP) and other plasticisers are chemicals added to plastics to make them more flexible and durable. These chemicals have been linked to health problems such as hormonal disruptions and fertility disorders.

Limitation on the use of phthalates is regulated by many markets, including the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, and Hong Kong. In these markets, toys must not exceed 0.1% of the total weight of the plasticized materials in the toy. Failure to adhere to this requirement is considered non-compliance.

3. Markings non-compliances

Markings compliance testing focuses on the accuracy and completeness of the labelling and packaging information of toy products. Non-compliance in this area can result in customer confusion or injury due to misuse of toy products. Below are common examples of markings non-compliance:

Inappropriate ways of warning the customer

Toy manufacturers must take steps to ensure that the warning labels are clear, concise, prominently displayed, and accurately reflect the potential hazards associated with the toy. This can be achieved by writing in plain language that is easy to understand or used of appropriate symbols and pictograms.

For example, the Toy Safety Directive (TSD) 2009 requires that the warning about toys must be clearly visible, easily legible and understandable and in an accurate manner. Warnings must be marked on the toy, an affixed label or the packaging. If appropriate, warnings should also be included in the instructions.

Incorrect or missing label content
Incorrect or missing warnings are a common issue in toy products that fail certification compliance. Toys that do now have the correct warnings or do not have any warnings at all can pose significant risks to children.

For example, if a toy is labelled with a warning for children aged six or up but contains small parts, parents may assume that the toy is safe for their children. However, this is not correct because of its choking hazard to young children and therefore a toy containing small parts is required to have a choking hazard warning.

How the Eurofins Toys & Hardlines network of laboratories can help

Compliance testing and certification are essential for ensuring your products are safe for children to use. Toy brands and manufacturers should take steps to make sure that their products meet all relevant safety standards and that they undergo rigorous testing before they are released to the market.

Through our network of laboratories, we are the global expert in toy safety testing, auditing, inspection and certification. With our laboratory network in Asia, Europe and the U.S., we support toy brands and manufacturers to achieve product compliance, quality conformance, supply chain monitoring and improvement.

Click here to visit our Toy testing page to learn more about our service offering.