An Increase of 10% in Imported China Toy Costs a Scam

Based on all the recalls last year on exported Chinese toys for lead paint, an article from the CBC website mentions that the price of Chinese toys is going to increase by about 10% this year.

Another cash grab from the consumer. Toy companies are claiming that there will be increased costs for quality control, to check for lead. I have one question for the toy execs…what quality control were you doing before the recalls? Do we not have laws about lead content allowed in paint already? This is not about establishing a new element in the product safety category, or even lowering allowable lead content in paint; it’s about adhering to an existing standard, to which the toy companies should have been following all along.

If there has been an established standard for lead content limits in paint, then all the companies need to do, is to make sure that their suppliers are following their supply agreements.

Saying imported toy costs will increase for increased quality control means that all their quality control departments have not been doing their jobs from day one. I suggest that the toy companies start holding their own internal QC departments accountable for allowing this to happen. We already pay for proper QC with these companies; we don’t need to pay anymore.

If a Chinese company supplies “out of spec” material, then sue them for the extra cost of the recalls…don’t ask the customers to pay.