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August 29, 2007
European consumer group: Who is Minding the Toyshop?
 Our colleagues at BEUC, the federation of European consumer organizations, have asked the European Commission Who is Minding the Toyshop? Referring not to the two August 2007 lead paint related recall announcements by Mattel/Fisher-Price, but to the November 2006 and August 2007 Mattel recalls of what appear to be the same magnetic toys from China, BEUC says:
For BEUC, this double recall raises serious questions about the toy safety regime in Europe. In this case primary responsibility lies with Mattel, and with the national enforcement authorities, but the Commission also has questions to answer. What has the Commission been doing to ensure that the Toy Safety Directive is enforced? We have serious questions ourselves about what, if anything, the U.S. CPSC will do in terms of fines and penalties when it gets to the bottom of the double trouble Mattel/China recall mess. Why didn't the November recall get the job done? Here is BEUC's letter to European enforcers. Meanwhile, over at the latest New York Times piece, by Louise Story, After Stumbling, Mattel Cracks Down In China, yet another Mattel executive, executive vice president for worldwide operations, Thomas Debrowski, blames someone else: "I think it's the fault of the vendor who didn't follow the procedures that we've been living with for a long time," Mr. Debrowski said.
Well, as long as they keep saying things like that, they're a long way from solving the problem. Here's a suggested restatement: "It was our fault at Mattel because we trusted, but we did not verify. Squeezing safety to meet low-cost price points, we failed to require independent third-party testing to assure that U.S. quality and safety standards were being met by our suppliers before we put the Mattel/Fisher-Price brands on the toys from China we entered into commerce in America to sell for small children to play with. So, we take full responsibility." I am sure some corporate damage control-crisis management consultant-flack is being paid hundreds of dollars an hour to provide that same advice, Mr. Debrowski. Here it is, no charge.
Posted by Ed Mierzwinski at August 29, 2007 07:57 AM
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