Fifers urged to be cautious when buying toys this Christmas

Fife Council's trading standards team has issued advice to people buying toys ahead of the Christmas period.

Officers have shared a number of tips for helping to keep youngsters safe:

• Take the time to read any warnings or instructions and check the age restriction.
• Make sure that the toy is suitable for the recipient. Remember that some toys may not be appropriate for children with special educational needs or certain disabilities.
• Check that there haven’t been any product recalls.
• Beware of potential hazards, such as loose ribbons which may cause strangulation, or loose parts or unsecured batteries which may be a choking hazard.
• Buy genuine toys from known and trusted retailers.

Dawn Adamson, service manager of the Fife trading standards team, said: "Toy safety, and product safety in general, is important to take into consideration when purchasing goods online.

"Consumers should try and ensure they are purchasing from reputable retailers by doing a bit of research and seeking out customer reviews of the firms they are thinking of making a purchase from.

"I'd strongly urge the public to follow the guidance given by the Office of Product Safety and Standards, and to remember that if a popular brand name item is selling at a price that seems too good to be true compared to normal expectations, then it probably is, so extreme caution would then be advised."