10:57 AM Thu, Aug 16, 2007 | Permalink |
The massive toy recall leaves many parents frustrated at Mattel. But any parent trying to avoid toys from China quickly realizes, those are the toys kids request: Elmo, Dora, Batman, the Backyardigans. Why? In one word, marketing.
Mattel spent $650 million last year on advertising and promotion. So yes, you can find other toys out there, but it means going against the mass-marketing grain. With most consumers clamoring for the lowest price and stock holders clamoring for the highest profit, it seems likely most consumers by this holiday season will go right back to buying the same old toys. So what's the solution? For parents, how are you responding to the recall and does any of this affect your willingness to purchase Mattel products made in China?
Walk into a typical toy store and you'll find 80 percent of toys are made in China. From tires to toothpaste to seafood, we've seen plenty of alarming stories recently about Chinese products. And yet there's no sign the United States would return to manufacturing many of these products at home. Coming up this Sunday on KING 5 News Up Front, we'll ask how did this happen? Is the massive toy recall by Mattel just one problem or part of a more disturbing trend?
Is your toy recalled?
Click Mattel's recall Web site to check model numbers and pictures.
I am concerned with all the times things have not been caught. What does that mean? Nothing from out of the country or do we import parts put them together and say made in USA?
How do we check on older toys bought, say last year before anyone got ill or even worse died. This seems to be when we hear about it.
I am telling my son who is five about the paint. We talk about washing hands before eating and not putting toys in mouths.
We are getting rid of it. We are sticking to locally made, European, Canadian, and American made. I will try not to buy anything with paint even air brushed.
As for the metal,no crap. I can share my silver or gold with my daughter and stick with beads! Non- painted or metal of course.
Good luck Moms,Dads and Caretakers of America!
I have already started a boycott of all things Chinese. I am spreading the word to everyone I know about the lack of safety of any import from China whether it is food, toys or a toilet brush. I refuse to buy anything made in China. We are organizing to let stores and manufactures know that Chinese imports are not acceptable. I found my toilet brush at the Fuller Brush Company; all of its products are made in Kansas. I was fully prepared to scrub my toilet with a rag and a rubber glove. I am willing to do without the things that are not available to me unless I buy from China. It's time that we Americans step up and spend our money here in the United States. I don't understand why we are even buying food from China. It is disgusting.
China, per se, is not the problem. When the (U.S.)toy companies were controlling the manufacturing oversight in Chinese factories there were few problems that made it back to our shores. Now that China is controlling the oversight we are having serious problems with unscrupulous or careless subcontractors. This is not limited to toys as the pet food scare has shown.
I do think that making an effort to avoid CHinese goods is advisable as it will send a clear message for them to clean up their oversight or suffer the economic consequences. This will be very difficult as so much of our goods are currently made in China and will require some effort on our part to look more carefully at where things are being made. As to other countries, I don't think it is reasonable to take a MADE IN AMERICA attitude, just keep aware of the news to see if any other countries are becoming careless.