Toy Safety Information - A guide

Appendix a: About the TRA

The TRA - British Association of Toy Retailers was founded in 1950. Today it represents around 75% or more of the toy trade.

Members include Toys R Us, Woolworth’s, Early Learning, Hamleys and Toystack group, Safeways, Tesco, Index, Littlewoods Home Shopping, Beatties, The Entertainer group, Toyworld group, Gamleys and members of the Toymaster and Youngsters buying groups.

The TRA represents its members both to the UK Government and the EC legislators through direct contact or in association with the British Toy & Hobby Association, the British Toy Importers & Distributors Association, and our membership of the British Retail Consortium. We are also members of the TTE - Toy Traders of Europe and the European Toy Retailers Association.

The Association offers a variety of services to members such as a Toy Safety Advisory service, a free 24-hour Legal Lawphone, special shop insurance, as well as the exclusive monthly TRA News and free subscription to the Association’s official journal, UK TOY NEWS.

The TRA has its own press office and produces the Top Ten Toy Charts at Christmas as well as the monthly in-house TRA News and - if required - Toy Safety Newsflash to warn members about a suspect toy. We also have an extensive website: www.tra.co.uk.

The Association also organises the TRA Toy Awards Dinner. At this prestigious event, the TRA Toy of the Year award and other prizes are presented, including those to winners of the TRA Toy Shop of the Year competition. Every October, in association with UK Toy News, we run the one-day media-only event, TOY which attracts extensive coverage.

Contents

Introduction - How to use this guide

The CE Mark, the Lion Mark and the Approved Lion Mark

Toy Safety Regulations and Standards

What is a toy?

Advising customers on toys for children under 3 years (Age labelling and age warnings, 'Under supervision', Choke Hazard Test

Electrical and battery powered toys, Chemical toys and age warnings for older children, Accoustics and toys

Appendices A & B : About the TRA & TRA Code of Practice

Appendices C & D : BTHA Code of Practice and About the BTHA

Appendix E : Other sources of information

Toy Safety Problem : Contact Details