Over 1,000 Care Bears toys seized for failing to meet TIS
The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) confiscated more than 1,000 Care Bears toys worth 900,000 baht after a raid at a shop in the Sampeng Market in Bangkok. The CPPD conducted the raid after they stumbled upon a TikTok advertisement inviting netizens to buy Care Bears toys. They found that the toys did not comply with the Thai Industrial Standard (TIS).
The CPPD inquiry led them to discover that the shop lacked authorisation, and their products failed to meet the TIS requirements. All items were also counterfeit, bearing no affiliation with the genuine Care Bears brand.
After further investigation, officers discovered that the shop’s location was near Bangkok Chinatown in Sampeng Market and conducted a raid on the place yesterday.
Officers reported that more than 1,000 toys worth over 900,000 baht were seized. The shop owner faces a charge of violating Section 36 of the Industrial Product Standards Act for importing and selling products without the TIS. The penalty will be imprisonment of up to one month, a fine of up to 5,000 baht, or both.
Officers explained that the Care Bears toy is made of flammable fabrics. The producers, importers, or sellers must obtain permission from the TIS authority before engaging in such operations.
Aside from the Care Bears shop, officers added that they discovered many other shops offering products that lacked a TIS stamp in Sampeng Market and carried out further confiscations at the market. Details on those shops have not been reported.
The Superintendent of the CPPD, Anan Nanasombat, urged vendors to always check their products before offering them to customers to ensure they comply with TIS requirements. Consumers also have to be aware of products with low quality and should always recheck the TIS before purchasing. To verify the TIS status of a product, individuals may refer to the official TIS website.
Care Bears is a franchise that originated as a line of characters created by American Greetings in the early 1980s. Care Bears are colourful toys with different badges on their belly. Each colour represents different emotions or traits like Cheer Bear, Grumpy Bear, Funshine Bear, and Tenderheart Bear.
