Over 225,000 Unsafe Toys Destroyed in France in 2023

French authorities report alarming safety violations in toys, particularly from online marketplaces, with nearly 20% deemed dangerous.

The French Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) destroyed 225,000 toys in 2023 due to safety risks, up from 184,000 the previous year.
28% of the 2,000 inspected establishments, including online and physical stores, were found to have safety violations, leading to warnings, compliance orders, and 18 legal cases.
Laboratory tests revealed that 47% of sampled toys were non-compliant, and 19% were classified as dangerous, with risks including suffocation, strangulation, and exposure to carcinogenic substances.
Online marketplaces showed particularly troubling results, with 79% of toys tested from 13 platforms deemed non-compliant, and 36% classified as dangerous.
Examples of unsafe products included a bubble gun with easily accessible batteries, carcinogenic balloons, and costumes with strangulation hazards.