Economy, Services, Commodities and Prices-How safe are the toys? |27 November 2009

However, Natcof is expressing concern at the quality of toys on sale in Seychelles. A market survey by Natcof indicated that most of the toys on sale are substandard.

There is a new technical committee set up by the Seychelles Bureau of Standards and on which Natcof is represented. Members of the committee are mandated to work on the regulation of toys on sale in the country.

Natcof says there are at present over 20 problematic toys on the market. Among these are woolen toys, electric toys, toys that shoot, and toy carts. These toys have problems in either designs or instructions. Substandard toys can easily hurt babies by injuring their skin or causing them to choke.

Natcof have some tips  for parents:
• Avoid toys made with polyvinyl chloride or PVC. Plastic softeners usually contain phthalates, which have been linked to development problems in lab animals.
• Avoid products made from hard, clear polycarbonate plastic, such as plastic baby bottles, water bottles and some containers. Some toys made of the hard plastic contain bisphenol A, another chemical linked to health problems.
• Avoid toys made from soft vinyl. Not only may it contain phthalates, but some soft lunch boxes made of the material have been found to contain lead.
• Painted toys made in China are more likely to contain lead than those made in the United States. Generally, buying locally made toys is safer.
• Toy jewelry often contains lead. It's generally good to avoid metal jewelry, especially if your child will put it in his or her mouth.
Toys marked safe, nontoxic aren't necessarily free of chemicals like phthalates and bisphenol A, according to tests done by The Chronicle. If you're unsure about a product, don't buy it.

UK Christmas shoppers undeterred

Christmas shoppers will spend as much this festive season as last year despite the United Kingdom remaining in recession, Deloitte has predicted.

However, the accountancy firm said that the impact of job losses and higher taxes would mean spending is likely to be squeezed at Christmas next year.

People were cutting back on daily indulgences such as snacks, and taking more care over their shopping, it said.
A separate report suggested Christmas shoppers were turning to the internet.

The research, carried out by the Centre for Retail Research for comparison site Kelkoo, found that 20p in every £1 would be spent online this Christmas - a rise of 24% on the previous year.

The Deloitte report found that people were not reining in their spending too much this Christmas owing in part to the savings they have been making on their mortgages at times of low interest rates.

However, it suggested that consumers were shopping around more and were showing less brand loyalty than previously.

European help plan for stranded travellers

Travellers who book holidays on the internet could receive more financial protection if things go wrong, under plans in a European review.

Consumers who make up their own packages of flights, hotels and car rentals on one website or partner sites could get more protection.

Currently, only those who have booked specific package deals have rights to cancel or refunds if operators go bust.
A review will consider help for passengers if airlines collapse.

"We need tough protection that gives all consumers booking a package holiday the peace of mind they deserve, and we need a level playing field so businesses compete on equal terms," said EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

The current rules, which came into force in 1990, offer protection for people who book packages through a travel agent.
 
They give these travellers various rights including the right to a refund if elements of the holiday are changed or if the organiser cancels the package.

Most importantly, provision must be made to refund travellers and return them home if the operator goes bust.

The European Commission wants to consult on the possibility that - after a recent spate of airlines going bust - basic insolvency protection should be extended to cover independent travellers buying standalone airline tickets which are not part of any package.
However, the review is unlikely to start until the second half of 2010.

Crude oil prices
As at 26/11/09

Nymex Crude Future  77.17 dollars per barrel
Dated Brent Spot        77.08 dollars per barrel