Friday June 12th 2026
Scottish Borders Council headquarters
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) trading standards officers removed over 150 “highly dangerous” toys from sale in a shop within the region, it has been revealed.
The illegal toys were counterfeit products designed to imitate genuine items made by legitimate businesses, including the NeeDoh brand.
They were also reported to lack labels displaying the name and address of a UK supplier.
The products, that often look like food, such as jelly cubes, pizza slices, butter blocks or steamed buns, cause choking or ingestion hazards to small children.
Reports have been received nationally of similar toys containing high levels of Volatile Organic Compounds, including benzene, a toxic and carcinogenic chemical.
Customers and businesses purchasing toys are urged to:
Check packaging carefully to find a UKCA or CE mark
Make sure the product bears the name and address of a UK-based importer manufacturer
Check if warnings and usage instructions are present
If any of the above is missing, it is likely that the toy hasn’t been subject to the required safety testing.
Other warning signs include:
a strong or unusual smell
an extremely low price
being sold without any packaging
no “do not eat” warnings for items that look like food
The advice is to buy from reputable retailers and avoid unfamiliar online vendors or third-party sellers on online marketplace listings.
Councillor Robin Tatler, SBC’s executive member for Public Safety and Resilience, said: “It is deeply concerning to hear that illegal and highly dangerous toys are being sold within our towns.
“It is extremely important that parents and businesses remain vigilant when purchasing toys and take the advised steps to ensure that products come from a legitimate organisation.”
The trading standards team is currently carrying out inspections of shops to identify items that may pose a significant safety risk.
If residents have concerns about any businesses selling illegal products, please contact 0300 100 1800 or email advice@scotborders.gov.uk.
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