During 2015, 24 children of up to 12 years of age were injured while using children’s products, according to Mater Dei Hospital’s Injury Database. However, many injuries remain either unreported or are classified erroneously.

EU statistics indicate that childcare articles remain in the top 10 list of items leading to child injuries.

The National Audit Office carried out a performance audit on the market surveillance of toys and childcare articles including clothing, which found that some unsafe ones may be available for sale.

During the three-year period under review, 2014-2016, the Market Surveillance Directorate identified 13 products that were of a substandard nature and had to be removed from the market.

The report issued today said that the MSD tends to focus on branded products – leaving market stalls, teleshopping and individuals selling online to do as they please, unless complaints are received from consumers.

During the period 2014 to 2016, MSD only made 15 surveillance visits to outlets such as bazaars and market stalls out of a total of 115.

Key findings

• MSD does not have the mandate to impose administrative fines.

• It is obliged to initiate legal proceedings in cases of irregularities but there were no court cases between 2014 and 2016, in spite of two cases of repeated non-compliance.

• The Directorate does not have the equipment to carry out basic safety checks on children’s products.

• There is no system to verify whether products it deemed as non-compliant were actually withdrawn from the market.

• Out of the 37 retail outlets in which the Directorate identified noncompliance, MSD only carried out a subsequent inspection in six cases.