Which? issues Christmas safety alert after finding dangerous and illegal children's toys on marketplaces including TikTok, Wish and AliExpress
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Parents have been warned to be alert for dangerous and illegal toys while shopping online this Christmas. A Which? investigation revealed that it was 'frighteningly easy' to find potentially fatal toys on online marketplaces like TikTok, Wish and AliExpress.
![[This baby's sensory fidget toy easily broke into small pieces during Which?'s testing, these small parts would be a serious choking risk for an unsupervised child]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/09/16/92959185-14173783-image-a-27_1733762049443.jpg)
Out of 23 toys, starting from as little as £1.07, more than half were found to pose a serious safety risk to children. Testing revealed hazards including sharp points which could cut a child's skin and magnets strong enough to tear the gut lining if swallowed.
![[This magnetic fishing set purchased from a seller on eBay had loose magnets which were strong enough to tear through a child's gut lining and cause serious injury]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/09/15/92959193-14173783-This_magnetic_fishing_set_purchased_from_a_seller_on_eBay_had_lo-a-17_1733759689448.jpg)
One particularly dangerous fidget toy was being promoted through a paid partnership on TikTok by a content creator with 13,000 followers. Many reviews on the TikTok shop complained of poor quality and dangerous loose parts including one comment which read: 'My baby choked'.
![[A fidget board purchased from the TikTok shop had small parts which broke off to create a choking hazard. One commenter wrote on the TikTok shop posting: 'My baby choked']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/09/16/92959191-14173783-A_fidget_board_purchased_from_the_TikTok_shop_had_small_parts_wh-m-28_1733763565641.jpg)
Additionally, all but two of the toys had missing or incorrect safety markings which are required by law. This means that 91 per cent of the unbranded toys cannot be legally sold within the UK. A Which? investigation has found that more than half of 23 unbranded toys purchased from online marketplaces had dangerous safety faults. This elephant crib toy was found to have loose batteries which could cause serious damage to a baby's organs if swallowed.
![[This innocent-looking pig toy from Fruugo has plastic eyes which fell away during testing. Their small size means they pose a choking hazard for children]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/09/16/92959195-14173783-This_innocent_looking_pig_toy_from_Fruugo_has_plastic_eyes_which-m-29_1733763574728.jpg)
This baby's sensory fidget toy easily broke into small pieces during Which?'s testing, these small parts would be a serious choking risk for an unsupervised child. Which? testers purchased the 23 unbranded children's toys from the most popular online marketplaces: AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Fruugo, Temu, TikTok and Wish.
![[This toy phone from AliExpress broke apart during testing, creating small parts which posed a choking risk]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/09/16/92959189-14173783-This_toy_phone_from_AliExpress_broke_apart_during_testing_creati-m-30_1733763582618.jpg)
