LONDON: UK authorities seized more than 2,000 fake dolls from the hit Disney movie Frozen after being imported into the UK.
Tests on the products found in Coventry showed they contained chemicals called phthalates, which can cause health problems, especially in children.
The dolls were seized at a Parcelforce hub and later destroyed.
But Warwickshire Trading Standards warned some other dolls must have gone on sale because there were so many different consignments.
‘Vulnerable groups’
Its team manager, James Greenaway, said: “Long-term exposure to phthalates can increase the risk of cancer, lead to asthma symptoms, or cause infertility.
“This can particularly affect vulnerable groups, such as children. If they suck or chew a toy, or suck their fingers while playing with the toy, they are more likely to ingest the chemical.”
Concerned parents have been told to look for a manufacturers’ mark, or a Disney logo, which should be moulded into a genuine toy.
Mr Greenaway said the main risk from a fake doll was from the soft plastic, such as the doll’s head.
He explained that Warwickshire Trading Standards offered advice to businesses that have been buying products directly from China.
“There are no safety checks on these products,” said Mr Greenaway. “Businesses should use an authorised distributor instead.”
The consignments of 2,061 fake Frozen dolls were found throughout December at the hub, after trading standards officers were alerted to them by UK Border Agency staff.
