Which? magazine is warning shoppers to be wary of toys sold on online marketplaces this Christmas, after an investigation found products on popular sites that could choke, cut or strangle a child. The Which? news follows recent investigations by the BTHA and US Toy Association that arrived at similar conclusions.

The consumer champion bought 23 toys – starting from as little as £1.07 – from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Fruugo, Temu, TikTok and Wish, and found serious safety problems with more than half (52%) of them. 

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “It was as frighteningly easy for Which? to find dangerous toys for sale on some of the world’s most popular online marketplaces – and this is particularly worrying when we know many people are shopping for affordable gifts ahead of Christmas.” 

Concha added: “The UK government must act fast and use its Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to put much greater legal responsibility on online marketplaces for keeping unsafe items off their platforms. This must include allowing tough enforcement action, such as heavy fines, if they breach the rules.”

The 12 dangerous products posed serious safety risks to children, including choking, sharp points and strangulation.

A significant issue uncovered by testers was with small parts that posed a choking risk for children. This was seen in a magnetic fishing set, bought from an eBay seller, where the magnets detached during testing

Many of the toys also had missing or incorrect markings, which are required by law, which alongside those with safety risks, meant that 21 (91%) of the 23 unbranded toys should not be legally sold in the UK.

The research shows yet again how consumers are inadequately protected when buying products from online marketplaces. Which? is calling on the government to urgently put greater legal responsibility on online marketplaces to prevent unsafe items from being sold on their platforms in the first place. 

A significant issue uncovered by testers was with small parts that posed a choking risk for children. This was seen in a magnetic fishing set, bought from an eBay seller, where the magnets detached during testing. 

The tiny magnets were a choking hazard and could seriously hurt any child who swallowed them. The magnets themselves were too powerful to be used in toys for very young children. If magnets are swallowed they could attract each other inside a child’s digestive system, tearing through the lining of the gut and causing severe injuries.

Two baby toys, a sensory fidget toy and musical car keys, from TikTok Shop also broke into pieces during Which?’s testing. Both should have been strong enough to withstand this kind of test. Among many customer reviews of the fidget toy from TikTok Shop complaining of poor quality and loose parts, one said ‘my baby choked’. Which? also found this item being promoted through a paid partnership on TikTok. The video, posted by a content creator with 13,000 followers, had been viewed hundreds of times. Which? understands from TikTok that no purchases were made from this content and the content has been removed. 

The keys and dial on a wooden busy board broke into small pieces during Which?’s tension test and similarly small bits broke away from a toy phone. Both were sold on AliExpress. A toy pig bought from a seller on Fruugo had eyes which fell off in testing, creating a choking hazard for a small child if they were swallowed.

Long cords were also a problem. The tests identified a ring teether with bells and ribbons from Fruugo with ribbons that posed a strangulation risk as they were almost 50 per cent longer than the 30cm UK legal limit. This toy also had bells with sharp edges that could cut a baby’s skin. 

Two crib toys from eBay failed to comply with the cords regulations for toys strung across cradles with neither coming with the legally required safety warnings.

Sharp points that could puncture a small child’s skin were another problem. A ‘busy cube’ bought from AliExpress had keys, a fidget-spinner, a castor and a tap attached to a wooden cube. However, it was a million miles away from a toy fit for the advertised 0-3 age range. 

Which? found the key attached to the product came to a sharp point that could puncture a child’s skin. Overall, the product was poorly finished, with exposed edges of brackets and screws.

A decaying battery can do serious damage to a baby’s inner organs if it does not pass through their system quickly. Yet a musical elephant-shaped hanging crib toy bought from a seller on Wish with button batteries that were not safely secured in the battery compartment posed a choking and swallowing risk for small children.

One of the 23 items, a set of animal fridge magnets, and the only product Which? bought from Amazon – did not pose a serious safety risk to children and could be legally sold in the UK. Neither of the two products bought on Temu posed a serious safety risk but one of them could not be legally sold in the UK because Which?’s assessments found that the electrical labelling did not comply with regulations. 

Which? shared its findings with all of the online marketplaces where it found problems. All of the 21 listings for products that failed its tests and assessments have been removed from sale.

Which? is urging the government to put strict new legal responsibilities on online marketplaces to prevent the sale of unsafe products front and centre of its Product Regulation and Metrology Bill so that consumers are far better protected from dangerous and illegal products.