Chemicals are not the only danger caused by Squishies toys – keep out of reach of small children

Mediatiedote

26.6.2018 15.37 | Published in English on 6.7.2018 at 8.19

Press release

Squishies-toys could be dangerous for children.

The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) warns about the choking hazard posed by Squishies toys. Tukes asks consumers to return to the seller any I Love Squishies toys that have easily detachable small parts that may pose a risk of choking. Most Finnish toy distributors have withdrawn Squishies toys from the market independently, but an abundant supply is still available in foreign online stores.

Squishies toys are soft foam toys, which became very popular among children in early spring. They have attracted much attention since the Danish authorities found dangerous chemicals in twelve toys. Today, Finnish Customs also announced that it has rejected Link to an external website, Opens in a new taba large batch of Squeeze the Squishy toys due to harmful chemicals and a choking hazard.

Most Squishies toys are labelled with the warning “Not suitable for children under 3 years”, but the simplicity, clear colours, soft shape and lightness of these toys attract small children in particular. Tukes and the Finnish Toy Association recommended in spring that Finnish companies refrain from purchasing such Squishies toys for distribution that have easily detachable small parts that may pose a risk of choking to small children.

“Finnish companies have acted responsibly and most of them have not ordered any Squishies toys at all for distribution. Following the news release by the Danish authorities last week, we have contacted the companies that we found to still sell Squishies toys, and they have removed the toys from their shelves voluntarily. In Finland, toy safety issues are identified and paid attention to. However, international online stores still offer an abundant supply of Squishies toys,” says Anja Merenkivi, Senior Officer at Tukes.

Monitor which toys are dangerous:

Toys found dangerous by Tukes are entered in Tukes’ market surveillance registerLink to an external website, Opens in a new tab.
All European authorities record all dangerous products that they find in the Rapid Alert SystemLink to an external website, Opens in a new tab. At the moment, the system contains several Squishies toys that pose a choking hazard: Squishies ballsLink to an external website, Opens in a new tab rejected by Spanish Customs, as well as a pink bearLink to an external website, Opens in a new tab and a strawberry tartLink to an external website, Opens in a new tab that were on the market in Luxembourg. These products may also have been on sale in online stores.
If you buy toys in online stores outside the EU directly, no party in the EU is responsible for the safety of the product. The product does not necessarily fulfil European safety requirements.