Disney to step up toy inspections
In the wake of a series of major toy recalls, Walt Disney Co. said it would take control of the testing of its toys and jewelry depicting the familiar Disney characters to ensure that the products meet its safety standards.
A spokeswoman said Disney had always required licensees and manufacturers to provide evidence that the products had been tested and met its standards. But after the nation’s biggest toy maker, Mattel Inc., recalled millions of Chinese-made toys because of lead paint and other safety concerns Disney executives came up with a plan to bolster oversight. Included in the Mattel recall were some 253,000 small toy jeeps based on the Sarge character from “Cars,” an animated film from Disney’s Pixar studio.
Disney said it planned to randomly test about 65,000 products made by 2,000 licensees.
“We’re really looking at the categories that are the most popular,” Disney spokeswoman Nidia Tatalovich said. “Anything that we think a child would interact with in a manner that would be dangerous to them.”
Disney said it would increase the number of people who oversee product safety and require licensees, who’ve had to provide documentation before a product ships, to furnish actual copies of test results. The company expects to spend $1 million to $2 million on the new initiative.
The entertainment giant, which expects $26 billion in worldwide sales from consumer products in fiscal 2007, seeks to allay parents’ concerns before holiday shopping begins.
“We felt it was a good time for us to take a look at the process and see where we could enhance it,” Tatalovich said. “And remind licensees we’re looking over their shoulder. We’re very serious about this.”
It’s not alone. Nickelodeon, which licenses such popular children’s characters as Dora the Explorer, announced it would do independent testing. And retail giants Toys R Us Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. all expanded testing and oversight of toys after the recent recalls.
“Everyone’s in crisis management and brand control mode. It’s understandable,” said Stephanie Oppenheim, a child development and toy expert and co-founder of Toyportfolio.com. “Everyone’s looking out to protect their brands and give parents an added sense of security.”
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