Politics · Philippines Bureau
EcoWaste urges crackdown on counterfeit, unsafe squishy toys
The EcoWaste Coalition is calling on the Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies to halt the sale of unauthorized squishy toys ahead of the Christmas shopping season. The group warns that many products lack proper safety certifications and pose health risks to consumers.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Environmental and consumer health advocates are pressing the government to intensify enforcement actions against counterfeit and unsafe squishy toys flooding the Philippine market as the year-end holiday shopping season approaches.
The EcoWaste Coalition has urged the Food and Drug Administration to coordinate with the Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police, and local government units to prevent the distribution and sale of non-compliant squishy toy products. The group emphasized that many items circulating in retail outlets and online platforms lack proper market authorization and fail to meet safety standards required for consumer products.
Squishy toys have gained significant popularity among Filipino consumers, particularly children, making the push for quality control increasingly urgent. The EcoWaste Coalition noted that unauthorized products may contain harmful materials and pose choking and chemical exposure risks to young users.
The call for stricter enforcement comes as retailers prepare for peak shopping periods during the holiday months. Authorities have been advised to strengthen port inspections and intensify monitoring of online marketplaces to identify and confiscate substandard merchandise before it reaches consumers.