Thread: Most Consumers Plan To Shun China-Made Toys

Most consumers plan to shun China-made toys
Poll: Three-quarters of Americans express distrust after safety recalls


CNBC video



Updated: 1:22 p.m. ET Oct 17, 2007


CHICAGO - Three-quarters of U.S. consumers plan to shun toys made in China this holiday season, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll.

Of almost 1,000 people polled, 75.8 percent said they would not buy Chinese-made toys.

The results come in the wake of several high-profile recalls this year of toys made in China that either contained lead or small magnets.


"There are always caveats, but there is no question that there is an anti-Chinese product sentiment today that really did not exist a year ago," said John Zogby, president and chief executive of Zogby International, which conducted the poll for Reuters.

But while the sentiment is strong, it may not necessarily reflect actual buying behavior, he said.

"Do they flip the toy around and do they look on the side of the box to see if it's made in China?" Zogby asked, adding that significantly lower prices for a toy made in China could also affect consumers' decisions.

As for holiday spending overall, half of those polled — 49.8 percent — said they planned to send about the same on gifts as they did last year, while 31.1 percent said they planned to spend a little or a lot less. Only 18.3 percent said they planned to spend a little or a lot more.


"There's economic anxiety out there," Zogby said.

The results were in line with other retail surveys and forecasts for the holiday season.

Recall information
Are your kids' toys safe?
To find out if a product you own has been recalled, you can try searching the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s database here.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

Concerned parents and caregivers also can sign up to received an e-mail alert when a new product recall is made public. To sign up, click here.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx

To find out if a toy you own was part of the Mattel recall, and get information about obtaining a voucher for the cost of the product, click here.

http://www.mattel.com/safety/us/


The National Retail Federation, for example, said on Tuesday U.S. shoppers plan to spend 3.7 percent more on holiday-related items than they did in 2006, almost half the 7.2 percent planned increase last year.

Consumer experiences in grocery stores also appear to match up with the price increases manufacturers have posted to cope with higher costs for ingredients ranging from wheat to milk.

More than 80 percent of respondents said they are spending more at grocery stores than they did last year, with 28.6 saying they are spending a lot more and 53.2 percent saying "a little more."

The poll was conducted October 10-14 and 991 likely voters responded. The poll has a margin of error of 3.2 percent.

Copyright 2007 Reuters. Click for restrictions.




http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21344461/

I say shun away...along with all there other crap...the one that really worries me...are the drugs...and the products used from china to make the drugs...Now the 4.00 prescriptions from Wallochinamart makes sense...they are cheap crap...mixed with lead...and whatever

"Do they flip the toy around and do they look on the side of the box to see if it's made in China?"

I certainly do now! If I can I try to alway buy MADE IN THE U.S.A.

I hope this is true. My concern is that there is so much"keep up with the jonses" today and a majority-not all of kids are spoiled. Will people really do this if it means johnny doesn't get his Elmo doll or whatever this season's hot toy will be? Will people really do this if their kid would be the only one not on the block to get this toy? I hope so. These companies need to be taught a REAL lesson that we will not accept this any longer.

I would love to show these companies that we really do have the power. If no one buys their stuff what will they do?

My 1st grandchild will be 6 months old by Christmas, and I will investigate EVERYTHING before I buy it. I KNOW I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM CHINA!
Sure, kids will see the ads on tv, but that's when you teach them that some things are "bad" for them and can make them "sick".

I took my 9 year old son to the grocery store and he immediately zeroed in on the toy display. He looked at hotwheels, made in China, Playdough, made in China, Transformers, made in China, a football, made in China, boardgames, made in China, nerf toys, made in China, Batman figure, made in China. We could not find one toy made in America.

After seeing all of these toys made in China he was quite depressed. He immediately said, "What if they have lead". I don't want any of these toys. I think he's is more concerned with his health than being amused by a toy. The crisis is sinking into the kids. I am shopping American made online. I hope everyone else in America does too for now on.
If our own government doesn't seem to care about our children's health, we are their only defense. STAY SAFE AND BUY AMERICAN.

Originally Posted by CCUSA

I took my 9 year old son to the grocery store and he immediately zeroed in on the toy display. He looked at hotwheels, made in China, Playdough, made in China, Transformers, made in China, a football, made in China, boardgames, made in China, nerf toys, made in China, Batman figure, made in China. We could not find one toy made in America.

After seeing all of these toys made in China he was quite depressed. He immediately said, "What if they have lead". I don't want any of these toys. I think he's is more concerned with his health than being amused by a toy. The crisis is sinking into the kids too. I am shopping American made online. I hope everyone else in America does too for now on.

Good for him. Teach the kids when they are young and they will be smart shoppers. So many people are hitting our web site right now the traffic is unreal.

I really think America is waking up JP. I have never seen the country like this and such a lack of confidence in our nations leaders.

Ron Paul is top tier now!! We have hope!!