On August 31st, Administrative Provisions on the Recall of Children’s Toys officially became effective, which has a profound significance in the development history of China’s toy industry.

   The first recalling system can be traced back to automobile industry in U.S., and afterwards, it is introduced round the world to various realm highly related to consumers’ safety of life and properties, such as foods and household appliance.

   Firstly, it is an expression for fairness for consumers, who will give their emotional feedback in obvious way. Lots of survey shows that, makers’ announcing recall against defected products is considered an action of taking responsibility. It will not result in severe affect on maker’s image and quality, instead, consumers would have greater confidence and higher recognition on the maker.

   Before China actualizes recall system on toys, when recall is announced on overseas brand toys with defect, China’s market had not been involved. Domestic consumers’ rights and interest had been ignored. Such an unfair fact will be eliminated soon.

   Toy makers need fair treatment as well. Recalled defected products cover wide parties generally, when maker, distributor and importer must all assume economic responsibility. For instance, in the year of 2002, the CPSC in U.S. announced 340 recalls, involving 50 million items for toys and related companies had to pay over 1 million US dollar in average. Obviously, most of medium and small business in China can hardly afford the costly expenditure for recall. It would also be heavy burden for even those with larger scale. To a majority of makers, a single recall might mean bankrupt.

   In comparison with overseas market, domestic one is much more complicated. Most of toys are sold through large super markets, brand chain stores in overseas countries, while domestic China sees huge market and scattered sales terminal. Especially in wholesales market, stocking, checking and selling all are carried out in an informal way, which would be hard to be administrated. Therefore, China’s recall system on toys is a tougher practice.

   During the government’s supervision process, we believe, a mechanism for fair competition should be reconstructed, so as to make it true in different regions and sales channels. A administrative system on defected toys and recalling information should be set up as soon as possible, for the sake of information collection, harm inspection, risk assessment, research on defect, etc. According to different risk level, toy makers are suggested to make corresponding correction to reduce the probability of recall, such as changing design, improving production method and isolating and dealing appropriately with products in sales.