Chinese made toys recalled in US are still for sale in China

Warning to Americans planning to go to the Olympics in Beijing: be careful what gifts you buy to bring back home.

That is the warning coming from various authorities in the US who have stated that many toys that were recalled from the US market this past year that were made in China are still for sale all over Beijing. Reports indicate that many shoppers (from all over the world) as well as store managers have no idea that many of the toys in Beijing stores were recalled months earlier for a variety of reasons especially lead poisoning.

According to the The Wall Street Journal  recalled toy brands from Mega Brands, RC2 Corp., Mattel among others are readily available in China including in the New China Children's Store one of Beijing's best known toy stores.

The problem is both financial and cultural. Canceled orders due to defects or recalls are not welcomed by any factory but in the case of China the fear of losing money is so great factories have been known to sell the problematic products "out the back door". Even when marketing companies hire firms to destroy toys not to be sold many items still manage to re-enter the marketplace.

Excuses from Beijing retailers for why recalled product still is for sale included "incomplete recall information", "Didn't get any news of the recall", "slipped through the cracks".

Even with beefed up due-diligence by toy companies once re-sold they do not have any rights to take possession of the toys from Beijing retailers which bodes poorly for unsuspecting shoppers.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli