Fife Trading Standards are warning parents to take care when buying the latest craze of squishy toys.

The online trends and popularity of toys such as Squishy Dumplings, Butter Sticks and Needoh Cubes are fuelling a market of products that are counterfeit and don't meet the requirements of the Toys Safety Regulations.

Dawn Adamson, Service Manager for Trading Standards at Fife Council, said: “These counterfeit products exploit the latest consumer trend, prioritising profit over safety. As well as infringing legitimate trademarks, they are produced without the necessary safety testing to ensure they are safe for consumers."

“These products can be particularly appealing to children, but they present significant risks. Some have been found to contain benzene and other volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). They can also tear easily, with small parts becoming detached and posing a choking hazard.

"Safety concerns are further heightened by online trends encouraging users to heat the products to make them more pliable. These items were not designed for this purpose, and there have been reports of children suffering burns as a result.”

Trading Standards continues to inspect local businesses and are removing the non-compliant products from sale. This can also result in prosecution of traders who knowingly breach the law.

Trading Standards advise parents to check goods and packaging carefully. All toys should be marked with the CE or UKCA mark for safety as well as details of the UK importer. They also advise buying from reputable sellers and check the price.

The genuine products are very scarce and therefore expensive. If a product is cheaper that you’d expect they are likely to be fake.

Anyone concerned about the safety of toys they’ve purchased is advised to get in touch with us via Consumer Advice Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or online via their website at https://consumeradvice.scot/contact/

Trading Standards encourage consumers to take these simple but important steps to ensure the toys and products they purchase are safe and compliant with regulations:

• Inspect packaging carefully: Look for a CE or UKCA mark, along with the name and address of a UK or EU-based supplier. These indicate that the product meets essential safety standards. Most toys should also include warnings and instructions for safe use.
• Buy from trusted retailers: Purchasing from reputable and well-established sellers increases the chances of receiving safe products and makes it easier to return items if an issue arises.
• Be cautious of bargains: If the price seems unusually low, it could be a red flag. Extremely cheap products may not meet required safety standards.

Trading Standards remains committed to protecting consumers and ensuring that only safe, compliant goods are available in the marketplace.