Games & toys

A toy sold through an unofficial or unknown distribution channel, or by a seller
who is difficult to identify, should give cause for concern.

Our advice:

1. Know the seller well: Only buy from well-known and reputable shops or online retailers.
2. When shopping online, I tend to choose French or European websites. Be wary of sellers that have only recently been set up, have no track record, or whose contact details are difficult to verify.
3. Check the identity of the seller offering you the product directly, rather than relying solely on the platform hosting it. Be careful when buying from online marketplaces via non-European sellers.
4. The online shop must provide all information in French, even if it is a foreign website.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it’s best to be extra careful.

In fact, a toy priced at half or a third of the usual price is almost always a counterfeit.

Furthermore, counterfeiters often use the brands’ official photos
available online but then send you a poor-quality copy.

The CE marking is compulsory and must be legible on the toy, its label and/or its packaging.
This logo indicates that a product meets European safety requirements for toys. Its absence is a major warning sign. However, please note that this logo may also be counterfeit. It must be assessed in conjunction with other checks.

1. Counterfeit products often have incomplete or inconsistent labelling. A compliant toy must bear the name and address of the manufacturer, importer or European authorised representative, as well as the age restriction. The absence of this mandatory information is a major warning sign.
2. If a product’s description, instructions for use or warnings are provided in a foreign language only, you should avoid buying that product.
3. Spelling mistakes in the instructions may also be an indication of a counterfeit product.

1. A toy that complies with European regulations is one that has been tested for mechanical, electrical and chemical safety, as well as for flammability and hygiene.
2. Without these checks, children will be exposed to serious dangers such as choking after swallowing small parts or exposure to hazardous chemicals.

1. A 5-star rating is no guarantee of compliance. Fraudulent sellers flood their pages with fake, automatically generated reviews. I therefore check to see if there are any negative reviews from other customers about the online shop, the seller or the product, mentioning, for example, questionable quality, suspicious packaging or the item being different from the photo.
2. I can also search online to check the seller’s reputation. For
   example, I type the word ‘scam’ into Google, along with the name of the product I want to buy or the name of the online shop. I then check to see if there are any reports of scams linked to the site or the product.