Toys recalled because of safety concerns are easily bought on online marketplaces and finding their way into the country from overseas.
It has been fairly simple to find and buy toys online that have been recalled for safety issues in 2024 and previous years, according to a report from nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).
The nonprofit has purchased 38 toys that were recalled for safety reasons since 2022, including most recently through websites such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
Online marketplaces don't face the same level of legal scrutiny for selling recalled products as retail companies, including T.J. Maxx, Home Depot and Best Buy, that have had to pay multi-million dollar penalties.
"We often assume that if something is for sale, it must be safe. But in so many cases, these toys are hazardous and they pose huge threats to our children," said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for U.S. PIRG.
How do dangerous toys get into the U.S.?
A toy shipped from overseas often doesn't get inspected by authorities before it reaches a home: The number of products exempt from inspection surged to more than 1 billion from around 140 million a decade ago, according to the White House.
Products also won't get inspected when sellers ship them in bulk and claim a dollar value below the threshold of $800.
This presents a loophole: Toys that sell for $30 to $40 in the U.S. can sell for as little as $5 overseas, U.S. PIRG said.
Authorities confiscated more than 1.1 million dangerous or illegal toys in the fiscal year of 2023, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the regulator that manages toy recalls.
And the were around 231,700 toy-related injuries that hospital emergency rooms treated in 2023, a 5% jump from 2022, according to the CPSC.
How to avoid buying dangerous toys
U.S. PIRG has recommendations for parents to keep dangerous toys from their children.
- Online is riskier: Buying toys online runs a higher risk because there isn't as much transparency and returns can be difficult or impossible.
- The brand: Consider purchases from known, trusted sellers and trademark holders.
- Check manufacturer: Toys that have been recalled or are being illegally sold often don't list their manufacturer.
- Read reviews: Look for reviews of the seller and manufacturer and check negative reviews first.
- Check phone number and address: See if the seller has a working U.S. phone number and address.
- Return policy: If returns aren't accepted for a new item, that could be a cause for concern.
- Shipping time: If it takes weeks to arrive, it is likelier from overseas and under less scrutiny.