The Mouse's Eyes (clap clap), Are Watching You

Posted by Keith Hahn, Sep 10, 2007, 10:18am

In response to the toy recall frenzy, Disney will be conducting random tests of licensed products. The tests are designed to make sure the 65,000 different Disney products sold by 2,000 vendors aren't covered in lead or have small parts that fall off (there goes the Little Mermaid with the removable coconut bra, also lead coated for extra lift and support). One of the Mattel recalls involved a "Sarge" car toy based on the character from "Cars."

Disney's tests are not designed to replace manufacturer safety protocols, but to scare toymakers into
not selling small poison death traps, or accepting them from China. So we have a large private company acting as a self-appointed regulatory body. Is this even legal? Will Disney start suing toymakers if they find "unsafe" toys, and will the parameters of "safety" be defined by the Mouse?

Since China is still going to be... well... China, the cost of all this "safety" and "avoiding child death" is unfortunately going to be passed on to the American consumer. The toy-selling landscape is already changing. For the first time, toys are trying the marketing tactics of U.S. automakers, urging the public to "buy American." You can save the life of your child and battle the Commies in one tickle-me-purchase.

Disney Plans to Test Quality Of Toys Using Its Characters [Wall Street Journal]

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Comments

Posted by , Sep 10, 2007 10:50AM

Silly Keith! It was a seashell bra.

Posted by Irwin Mainway, Mainway Toys LLC, Sep 10, 2007 11:09AM

Well, lead in paint on kid's toys is good. After all, these are bagged toys, llike our big seller, "Bag 'O Glass" and kids are going to get lead on 'em one way or another you know, and where did Disney get the idea for lead on kids toys anyway? Thank you very much! A little thanks would be nice from "Mousewichtz" but they'r to big for the rest of us small guys.

Next they'll be wanting us stop using depleted plutonium in kids toys!

Posted by anon, Sep 10, 2007 11:40AM

Likely most brands already have safety clauses embedded in the licensing contracts they sign with Disney/Sesame/etc that define safety. In fact, many retailers already have stricter quality requirements than any US regulatory body (e.g., getting into J.C. Penney, a surprisingly major toy retailer, requires more rigorous testing). The demands of both licensors and individual retailers will get much stricter. Expect Christmas '08 toys to be much less tasty.

Posted by China Law Blog, Sep 10, 2007 11:59AM

Of course it's legal.

This is a cost that should have been pencilled in to doing business with China all along and the really smart companies took care of it years ago.

Posted by Mr. Irony, Sep 10, 2007 12:16PM

Too bad Enron wasn't a Chinese company.....sigh....

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