Latvia finds labelling breaches in popular stress toys

Latvia’s Consumer Rights Protection Centre found labelling violations in popular stress-relief toys, including Squishy Dumpling, but detected no chemical-content violations in the products it tested, LSM reported.

The centre inspected the toys after receiving consumer complaints and concerns about their safety. It said people had also reported a distinctive chemical smell. Tests on three types of toys found no safety non-compliance, and the centre said a chemical smell alone does not prove that a toy fails safety requirements.

The centre noted that Squishy Dumpling toys had been withdrawn from sale in countries including the United Kingdom and Denmark after benzene concentrations were found to exceed permitted levels. However, it said those findings do not automatically apply to toys sold in Latvia, as products that look alike may have different manufacturers and identification details. Test results apply only to toys with the specific identification that was tested.

In inspections at shops in Riga and other regions, the centre found seven models of stress-relief toys that were either unlabelled or incorrectly labelled. More than 40 toys were removed from sale.

The centre also checked eight online shops selling Squishy Dumpling toys and found information-disclosure violations in all of them. Some sellers corrected the problems, while most removed the toys from their listings. One seller had taken the toys down before receiving a request from the centre. The centre is continuing market monitoring in one case because the seller is not cooperating.

The centre urged consumers to buy toys from trusted retailers and online shops.