Will post-Brexit Britain lead to unsafe toys for children? What would meet the safety standards for children's toys in the UK?

Children's toy safety is our top priority as a manufacturer of educational toys in China; we manufacture and sell baby toys. alpha science toys is watching the UK's exit from the EU very carefully as it will have a significant impact on the business of Alpha science toys, which started in 2004. So will children's toys in the UK not be safe after Brexit? And what kind of safety testing standards for children's toys are used in the UK after Brexit? Let Alpha science toys explain it in detail below.

The EU currently regulates the standards for all toys and products for babies and children, so it is crucial to know what will change after the UK leaves the EU. In theory, when the UK leaves the EU, it is possible that the UK will not be bound by the various EU rules, so it is possible that the UK will not have to test Alpha science toys' children's science lab toys teanong to European standards, which are very high. But is that good for my business?

It is unlikely that a company like Alpha science toys would use Brexit as a reason to lower the safety standards for its toys. When we are in the EU, we have to abide by their rules. Once we leave the EU, I don't know what will happen. Many British toy brand owners are waiting for clarification because it is uncertain.

Alpha science toys as a toy company and a parent, I just want to know what the rules will be. We know that parents only want the best for their children, so we won't lower our standards. Only a stupid children's toy company would use Brexit as an opportunity to lower their standards, but there are companies that could potentially do so, and Alpha science toys would not make such a decision that would jeopardize their customers.

In addition to the safety of children's toys, many China educational toy manufacturers have a commercial interest in the UK leaving the EU. Alpha science toys is interested in knowing what standards our children's science experiment toys need to meet, whether the UK will establish their own set of rules and standards, and whether Alpha science toys can continue to export children's science experiment toys to other EU countries.

What are the safety standards for children's toys in the UK?

There are two main standards that children's toys must meet. One is the European Safety Standard, EN71, and the other is the European Regulation, REACH. As a toy manufacturer, Alpha science toys' premium quality must ensure that children's toys comply with both standards.

EN71 sets safety standards for the mechanical and technical parts of children's toys, testing for flammability, choking hazards, sharp edges, etc. There are tests for finger painting, a different set of tests for trampolines, tests for soft toys, and different tests for electronic toys. These rules are constantly evolving; they are complex, but designed to ensure the safety of children's toys. As a parent, that's a good thing?

There is also a regulation known as REACH. REACH is an acronym for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. When I send my toys to be tested for REACH compliance, experts examine the chemicals in children's toys and their potential impact on human health and the environment. When REACH was introduced in the EU in 2006, it was considered one of the most stringent testing regimes in the world. To make this clear, the UK was heavily involved in the legislative process. It set a very high standard. Again, as a parent, surely that's a good thing? California has also set very high standards. Alpha science toys' brand of children's science lab toys tests both of these standards.

Who tests the safety of children's toys?

There are many accredited testing organizations that test toys. They are independent and they test the quality of children's toys in their own laboratories. Customers can choose for themselves which agency to use, but they all work to the same standards. Often, the decision process is driven by who is available when I need to test a toy. These agencies use objective criteria and will only grant approval if they believe the children's toys meet the required European standards.  

If you want to know who tests the test houses, there is a certification process to ensure that the test houses all meet the same standards. In other words, the process is controlled, and one of the test houses provides a small range of standards lower than their rivals. If they fall below the required standard, they lose their certification. Simple.

How are children's toy safety standards being enforced in the UK?

Most children's toys are still made in distant China by educational toy manufacturers because it is cheaper to make them in China or Taiwan. Toys for small sports stars are also made in China. As a result, after a Bloodstock customer orders an Alpha science toys product to be shipped from China to the UK, the children's toys enter the country through one of the UK ports or airports. At this point, UK customs will check that any toys entering the country meet the required standards. If they do not meet the minimum safety standards, customs will seize them. This is not good news for importers of children's toys, as there is a huge cost for every night your goods are held.

How do consumers know they've been tested for children's toy safety?

You can see if a children's toy has been tested because it will usually have the CE mark. When children's toys have been tested, they are entitled to the CE mark, which is a certification mark indicating that products sold within the European Economic Area meet health, safety and environmental standards.

Will British toy companies stop testing for European standards after Brexit?

This is a big question that children's toy companies will have to address after Brexit. We want to know who will set the standards and whether they will be different from existing standards? Business owners haven't been told what to do after Brexit, so when you hear companies screaming for certainty, that's why. We don't know with certainty what the rules will be after Brexit.      

What are the WTO rules for children's toys?

There is a discussion that if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal, the UK will be regulated by WTO rules. This sends shivers down the spine of many businesses because of the uncertainty it creates. So, in the case of Alpha science toys' children's science experiment toys, what are the WTO rules on the safety of children's toys and what's wrong with them?

The short answer is that there are no WTO rules on the safety of children's toys. The WTO is a very different beast than the EU. It facilitates trade by establishing tariffs between countries. From the WTO website." The primary purpose of the WTO is to help trade flow as freely as possible - as long as there are no undesirable side effects - because that's important for economic development and well-being."  Undesirable side effects - what about the health of our children...?

If the UK is not subject to EU safety rules, and the WTO has no safety rules for children's toys, it is conceivable that children's toy companies could implement lower safety standards as long as there are no "adverse effects." Of course, you might think that a lower safety standard for children's toys could be considered an adverse safety effect, but it is equally possible that a manufacturer of children's toys could argue for an alternative safety standard. Is it better to use the California standard, or what about the Australian standard? At this point, the situation starts to get complicated. As a parent, you don't know what standards you can rely on? You can keep an eye out for children's toys with the CE mark, or you may prefer to buy only from well-known brands that you trust and are confident that they must be enforcing high standards.

What are the other options for leaving the EU?

Apart from the no-deal/WTO rules, most of the alternatives involve some sort of relationship with the EU. The EU is interested in making sure that if the UK wants to sell in Europe then we should be subject to the same set of rules as European companies.

The Canadian model

There is a discussion that the UK may seek a "Canadian model" or "Canada plus model" with the EU. If we seek the Canadian model, then everything is up for negotiation and our negotiators will have to use standards as part of that negotiation. Standards are an integral part of the business - from Dyson cleaners to my soft toys; we need to know that they all meet some standards and are safe. But since the UK is effectively tearing up the rule book by leaving the EU, we will likely have to renegotiate all of our standards with the EU again if we want to do business in Europe. It's up to us to decide what we sell in our own country!".

The Norwegian model

One of the exit options currently being considered is the Norwegian model. This is probably the model with the closest ties to the EU since we are already a member of the EU. Because Norway is part of the European Economic Area, Norway is bound by EU toy safety rules. Norwegian parents know that their children's toys meet the same standards as those in any European country. Conversely, the EU sets the standards for toys sold in Norway and is not obliged to consult the Norwegian toy industry before setting the rules. If the UK leaves the EU on terms similar to the Norwegian model, we will continue to be bound by EU safety rules, but we will lose any control over setting standards. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just ironic that we're leaving the EU to gain control over something like this.

A level playing field

A standard set of rules creates a level playing field for companies. That's a good analogy I have for sporting toys. Imagine there are two teams playing the same game. One team plays by one set of rules and the other team plays by another. Sooner or later, someone will claim that the system is unfair.

I would imagine that the children's toy industry in the UK would be consulted when setting safety standards for children's toys. We are proud of our reputation. I would also question whether the national interest would come into play if we were not at the table when standards were discussed. Would Danish children's toy experts prefer Lego or my toys? This should not be an issue, because the health of our children should be paramount. Let's not debate about staying or leaving the EU, the point is that we want to know if our children's toys are safe.

What should parents look for?

When companies demand certainty, it's because they want to know exactly what safety standards to comply with. While the UK's exit from the EU will create an environment where standards may be abandoned, I think it is important that we collectively seek to maintain high standards. Post-Brexit negotiations could take years, as we will need to agree on trade terms with each country. In the meantime, Alpha science toys' advice to parents is to keep looking for the CE mark until someone tells them about the new standards.

Companies are unlikely to seek quick gains by lowering their standards. The reputation of the children's toy industry is at stake. In my opinion, adhering to high standards actually ensures that only the best children's toy companies will survive in a competitive marketplace. For Alpha science toys, toy safety remains our most fundamental commitment to our customers. For this reason, while the EU continues to set high standards for children's toys, Alpha science toys will continue to produce toys in accordance with EU standards.

As a manufacturer of educational toys in China, Alpha science toys has always focused on product safety and quality, quality children's science experiment toys products, have always used healthy and environmentally friendly, non-toxic and high-quality materials to make products, while production standards have always followed the children's toy industry standards. alpha science toys children's science experiment toys series, each product Alpha science toys' children's science experiment toy series, each product can pass the safety standards of different countries, such as the EU, the United States, Canada, etc. At the same time, we always cooperate with the world's leading product testing institutions, with the product safety test reports of many countries, to ensure that each product is safe and healthy, so that children enjoy the fun of science, but also always pay attention to their health and growth process, so you can rest assured that the purchase while recognizing the CE safety standards. Not to be hurt by shoddy children's toys, so that children grow up in the company of safe children's toys, and enjoy the fun of them.