A study of Halloween costumes sold online reveals that 80% of them pose risks to children.
As Halloween approaches, parents who don’t have time to go to the store may decide to order costumes online. Witch, vampire, pumpkin, there is something for everyone, allowing children to have fun during the candy hunt on the evening of October 31. However, a report from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), the British authority responsible for consumer product safety, issues a warning on these purchases.
They tested 128 costumes intended for children under seven, which can easily be found on the Internet in Great Britain but also in France. 80% were deemed unsafe, failing safety tests. Several anomalies were noted: flammable material, risk of strange… “Costumes can be an enjoyable part of the Halloween party, but our tests show that many costumes for sale, especially those online, have serious risks for young children”, attested Graham Russell, director general of the OPSS at BBC Radio Five Live. The alert was launched in the United Kingdom, but young French people are not spared the risk, given the increasingly frequent practice of online purchases, sometimes on reseller sites with little concern for privacy. origin of this type of article.
28 of them did not meet flammability standards. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon, which are very common in costumes, are particularly highly flammable. Natural fibers like cotton or wool are safer. For this first risk, it is particularly recommended that children wear clothes under their costume.
59 costumes included cords that could strangle. Similar cases have recently been observed in France. A “vampire cape, three years and older” sold at Stokomani was the subject of a reminder at the end of October for “risk of strangulation”.
Furthermore, 98 of the products analyzed by the office did not have the appropriate labeling. Parents are therefore reminded to look out for the CE, European conformity, or its British equivalent UKCA, UK Conformity Assessed, on the costumes. They guarantee that the disguise complies with safety rules. In the absence of these notices, it is not recommended to purchase the product.
Certain accessories also call for vigilance: these are masks. Tom Golubovich, design expert at Ninja Transfers, warned The Sun against “respiratory problems and hygiene problems linked to germs and nits”. The breathing difficulties caused by the mask can, in addition, be accentuated by “walking from one house to another, combined with the excitement of the night”. The spread of germs is favored by sharing costumes and the hot and humid interior of the mask, which is the ideal environment for the proliferation of bacteria. The expert recommends more children’s makeup by choosing hypoallergenic products.