The Trading Standards team at Derby City Council is warning Derby consumers about the dangers of buying fake Disney “Frozen Elsa” Children’s fancy dress costumes, which come from China online.
Due to the release of the second Frozen film recently, the popularity for Frozen products has soared once again and cheap fake costumes have appeared on online market places such as Ebay & Facebook Marketplace.
This particular costume has been found to have decoration which has sharp points, a dangerously long train and yarn that cannot be used on children’s clothing or toys as it can cause skin irritation. Other cheap, fake costumes will have similar defects that may be equally dangerous.
All fancy dress costumes are covered by the same legislation as toys and must be safe when entering the UK market place. Costumes coming from China are unlikely to have passed the correct standard for the UK market, meaning they could catch fire easily.
Doug Walkman, Head of Service for Trading Standards, Food and Safety, Bereavement Services and Building Consultancy said:
Trading Standards advises parents to only buy from reputable traders, and if the price seems too good to be true it probably is. Children’s fancy dress should be CE marked, have instructions and safety information. It should also have a manufacturer or importer’s name and address. If consumers have an issue with a product they have bought this festive season they should firstly complain to the supplier and also contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06 or fill in a web form at: www.citizensadvice.org.uk.