The illicit ‘squishy’ toys were recovered from a premises on Commerce Street in Kinning Park on Thursday, June 4.
The items, which are named due to their soft and squeezable texture, are typically made from polyurethane foam or gel materials.
An example of one of the toys that was seized (Image: Glasgow City Council)
These are popular with children and have been trending on social media.
Around 5900 were seized by officers from Glasgow City Council‘s Trading Standards team.
Based on estimations from the government’s Office for Product Safety & Standards, each toy would have cost around £71 in terms of health and safety risks posed, damage to property, businesses losing sales, consumers having to replace items, and time spent dealing with faulty products.
The recovery is therefore estimated to have saved £419,000.
The toys resemble dumplings and come in a dim sum box, although there are other designs.
It is noted that their rising popularity has seen an increase in counterfeit, incorrectly labelled products which have not passed health and safety regulations.
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Unsafe versions may contain substances such as phthalates, solvents, and formaldehyde and emit strong chemical odours.
Safety risks are said to include skin irritation, nausea, headaches, and even breathing problems.
The toys also might present a choking hazard to younger children, and many do not specify age warnings.
Products may fail to meet flammability standards and can split open, resulting in the unknown contents spilling out and posing further risk of harm.
Trading Standards teams will be continuing to visit further warehouses in the city.
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Cllr Laura Doherty, city convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets, said: “The items which have been recovered pose serious dangers to anyone using or playing with them.
“I would urge people when considering buying these popular toys to check that you are purchasing from a retailer you can trust and to check labels thoroughly.”
People are urged to look for information such as UKCA/CE marketing, manufacturer details, age restrictions, safety warnings, and instructions.
If any of these are not on the packaging, it is likely to be counterfeit and not safe.
Other warning signs to look out for include a strong or unusual smell, an extremely low price, being sold without any packaging, and ‘do not eat’ warnings for items that look like food.
Cllr Doherty added: “This intervention prevented over £400,000 worth of harm to consumers and businesses.
“Trading Standards will continue to monitor the supply and distribution of counterfeit goods through targeted inspections and enforcement activity, particularly within lower-cost retail sectors and non-traditional supply chains.”


