VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities have failed to control the quality of children's toys and recent inspections have found that many products, particularly imported ones, are being sold without conformity of regulation (CR) or safety stamps.

The inspections were conducted by the Goods and Produce Quality Management Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology, according to its deputy director Nguyen Xuan Hung.

Inspections carried out by 24 sub-departments across the country also found that over 40 per cent of inspected toy products did not have CR stamps.

The departments have suspended the circulation of nearly 1,800 products and 14 product batches from 10 manufacturers and traders. Eleven companies were fined and hundreds of toys have been destroyed.

"To control the toy market, we are faced with many challenges due to the number of illegally imported products that do not have CR stamps," said Hung.

The department estimated that nearly 90 per cent of toys in local markets were imported products without CR stamps that had been smuggled into the country without invoices or place of origin certificates.

Last year, the ministry regulated that manufacturers and import firms had to apply for CR stamps for their toy products before selling them, for safety reasons.

After the September 15 deadline, authorities said they would confiscate products that did not have proper stamps.

However, more than three months after the deadline, many traders and consumers still ignore the regulation, with illegal toys available on Luong Van Can, Hang Ma streets and other smaller toy stores in Ha Noi, and to make matters worse, many consumers don't seem to care.

Nguyen Thu Ha, a young mother from Phuong Mai Ward in Dong Da District said she had bought a baby doll for her five-year-old daughter on Luong Van Can Street without checking to see if it had a CR stamp or not.

"I didn't know that a toy should have a CR stamp to prove it is well made and safe for children," said Ha.

"Like most people, I only care about the product price," added Ha.

"Buying products without CR stamps may unintentionally boost the demand for low-quality products," said Director of the Consumer Protection Technology Research and Apply Centre Nguyen Van Son.

A lack of inspectors and poor collaboration between toy producers and distribution companies as well as a shortage of State quality and standard management units were the major reasons behind the problem, according to Hung.

Hung said that legal enforcement bodies were unable to control the huge toy market with its various categories of products, especially illegally imported toys, in Viet Nam.

"We will continue to carry out regular inspections. Products that do not have a CR stamp will be seized following Decree 54/2009 on sanctions against administrative violations in the field of standards, measurements and quality of products and goods," said Hung.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News