Etch a Sketch? Hot Wheels? Giggle Elmo? All made in China, and all likely to be on thousands of parents Christmas lists this year.
Despite recalls of millions of Chinese-manufactured toys in recent months, area shoppers at large-chain retailers seemed unconcerned with the countries in which toys were made Friday as they battled through store aisles on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
“It should be on my mind more than it is,” said Sheeri Sirotsky, scouring toy racks for gifts for her 6-month-old and 3-year-old children at Toys “R” Us in Baileys Crossroads.
“I don’t want them being exposed to lead, but on the other hand I don’t know if it’s really enough to do any damage,” she said, before asking a store staffer to point her in the direction of Doodle Doug the Drawing Bug, which is made in China.
Between 70 and 80 percent of the world’s toys are manufactured in China, according to the Toy Industry Association, and shoppers are hard-pressed to find any U.S.- or European-made toys on the shelves of large retailers.
Nationwide, 58 percent of Americans said they were making a serious effort to avoid products made in China this holiday season, according to a study by the Harrison Group, a market-research firm based in Waterbury, Conn. About 1,300 people were surveyed in late September and early October.
But experts said it was too soon to tell whether there was any real shift in shoppers’ buying trends.
“I haven’t heard any comments about [Chinese-made toys] this morning,” a Toys “R” Us staffer said Friday. “When it first came out, people were really concerned. But other than that, no.”
At the KB Toys in Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, boxes were flying off shelves and few shoppers were checking the manufacturing information.
“For my little granddaughter, who’s going to be 2, I’m going to give a gift certificate — let the parents worry about it,” said Susan Traylor.
The Chinese-made toy in her hand was for her older granddaughter, she said, who she wasn’t worried would chew on it.
“Yes, we are worried about it — we don’t want anyone to get sick,” said another KB shopper, carrying an armful of toys.
“Oh,” she said sheepishly, glancing at the bottom of her box of Giggle Elmo. “This is from China.”
Examiner staff writer Whitney Blake contributed to this report.
