The world has gone crazy over these trendy new gadgets and they could easily be called the hottest item currently on the market. But are suppliers in such a rush to stock and sell these spinners that they are overlooking important Safety & Compliance details? Unfortunately it appears the answer is yes. We have been watching the market, checking retail stores and listening to the news since the day these spinners hit the peak of their popularity. What we have seen has been shocking as many suppliers, wholesale and retail, have marketed these spinners to all ages and have not made any mention (of any kind) about safety.
Suitable for All Ages? Nothing could be further from the truth, and there are clear standards around the world (Australia & New Zealand included) for products like these.
While there are many different models and styles available, we have found that more than 75% of the models on the market contain small parts that present a possible choking hazard. AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2016 is a standard that covers choking hazards in toys and AZ/NZS ISO 8124.3:2012 / AS 8124.7:2013 addresses the migration of certain elements like lead and other heavy metals that can be poisonous. Both of these standards need to be adhered to when launching a product that has play value and appeals to children. Choosing to work with a supplier that has not properly addressed these standards could potentially put you AND your client into a PR nightmare.
The world is watching and there has already been a recall on an LED model here in Australia which you can read about by clicking here.
As well as a little girl that choked on one of the components in the US as covered by CNN and can be found by clicking here.
More recently another recall has been issued, ALSO in Australia, in regards to a model with sharp edges which you can read up on by clicking here.
As a distributor and on-seller you have a choice on where you purchase the merchandise you sell. Exercise your right to choose and challenge your supply chain! Protect your company and your client’s business by choosing to work with suppliers who are not only adhering to the necessary standards but also have the documentation to back it up!
What makes our spinners different? Instead of focusing on price, our Product Development and International Compliance teams have been hard at work making sure our spinners ticked all the Safety & Compliance requirements. We have:
– Age Graded our Fiddle Spinners (Ages 5 and up)
– Provided a Choking Hazard Warning AND the Age Grade on the Box
– Tested the Fiddle Spinners to EN71 Standards (which are more rigorous than current AUS/NZ standards) and cross checked the standards to ensure the results complied to AUS/NZ Standards.
We are happy to discuss any of this information if you or your clients have questions or concerns. Additionally we are happy to supply testing documentation backing up everything we have stated above.
Info sourced from one of our suppliers – High Caliber
