Electronic Toys (E-toys) are proving ever more popular, and they are driving further growth in the toy market, despite the current economic climate. Nonetheless, consumers are scrutinising their purchasing decisions with greater care, and are paying particular attention to product quality and safety. To enable manufacturers to ensure that the products they bring to market meet consumers’ market high standards, SGS provides product testing via their state of the art toy testing labs.
Fairfield, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/20/2010 -- Now the key focus for China and other major toy exporters, e-toys are central to the continuing growth of the international toy market, which grew by 4% in 2009 and will, on the basis of industry forecasts, continue to grow in 2010. These figures, when considered in light of current economic challenges, show the toy market to be in good shape overall.
Demand Driven by Demographic Changes
Industry reports show that demand for e-toys is increasing across all toy markets. A growing preference for e-toys is creating a challenging situation for manufacturers of traditional toys. While true across all market sectors, this change is especially applicable to toys designed for “kids aged 12 or above”. It is reported that these children “easily turn to non-traditional playthings such as video games, computers, music, cosmetics, etc”. Parental demand is also playing a role, given parental preferences for e-toys with education value. An emerging demand for educational e-toys has been reported by the Toy Industry Association (TIA) as a key trend in 2010, and is especially significant given that funding for most toy purchases comes from parents. This trend has also impacted on the youngest segment of the toy market, which has demonstrated gradual change. Sales in this demographic, usually more associated with traditional toys, have instead reflected the introduction of more e-toys—particularly those aimed at the stimulation of early childhood creativity and skills development.
Contributions to Market Growth from Adult Consumers
Along with faster rates of development and lower component prices, growth in the production of e-toys has been spurred by the emergence of new toy markets among adult consumers. E-toys are particularly popular within this segment of the market, which, in markets such as Japan, is growing as the population ages. It has therefore become important for toy manufacturers to develop e-toys to cater to the demands of this market segment, particularly as it grows while the youth and childhood segments contract.
Consumer Choice Driven by Quality, Safety
A TIA reports released this year notes that “toy safety is the number one priority for the toy industry”. This points to the emphasis that consumers place on product safety, as well as quality, an emphasis that has only intensified as economic conditions have tightened. Fortunately, despite their greater scrutiny of toy purchases, parents have not reduced spending on toys. However, to take advantage of continuing growth in the toy market, manufacturers must ensure that their products meet the high quality and safety standards that consumers and regulatory bodies demand. As market forces increasingly lead producers to blend traditional toys with elements of e-toys, an ever-greater number of toy manufacturers from the traditional toy and e-toy sectors are now subject to regulations governing e-toy safety and quality.
The Importance of Rigorous Testing
Even where products have been designed with the greatest care, in an environment where regulators, consumers and industry bodies are particularly focused on safety and quality manufacturers stand to benefit from the testing of their E-toys to ensure regulatory compliance.
Generally, e-toys must undergo Radio & Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE) Directive (http://www.ee.sgs.com/r-and-tte-test-services.htm ) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing (http://www.ee.sgs.com/electromagnetic-compliance.htm) as well as various kinds of electrical safety tests. These tests, along with the RoHS directive (http://www.ee.sgs.com/rohs-for-manufacturers.htm) and similar regulations will usually be applicable to e-toys regardless of their origin. In addition, e-toys are governed by a range of regulations that vary with the market in which they are being sold. In the US, e-toys are subject to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) (http://www.hardlines.sgs.com/consumerproducts/hot-regulatory-topics/cpsia-hardlines-information-request.htm). The regulation applicable to the European market is the recently introduced European Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (http://www.hardlines.sgs.com/consumerproducts/toys/new-eu-toy-directive-information-request-2.htm).
The toy testing labs run by SGS are located in the largest toy markets and in major toy manufacturing countries. In addition to the services delivered by these state of the art labs, E-toy manufacturers can be assisted to ensure regulatory compliance with the aid of the tools, network and knowledge that can be provided by SGS. This assistance, along with logistical process support, can be provided to manufacturers through every step of the product development process, from the factory floor to the high street store.
Contact details:
SGS Consumer Testing Services
Fred Mills-Winkler
Technical Director Toys, SGS U.S. Testing Company, Inc.
291 Fairfield Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004, USA
t: +1 973 575 5252 ext. 22038
E-mail: fred.millswinkler@sgs.com
Website: http://www.hardlines.sgs.com
The SGS Group is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878, SGS is recognized as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With 59,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world.