Our Role
Our responsibility as a sector goes beyond our commitment to making safe toys to cover such issues like fair competition, communicating responsibly with children and their families as well as sustainable innovation.
At TIE :
- Toy safety is the starting point for everything we do;
- We believe that playing is more than just fun; it is an essential part of growing up;
- We support our members by calling for rules that protect their reputation and their competitiveness;
- We promote communicating responsibly with children and their families;
- Our industry seeks innovative ways to increase sustainability.
In addition, we seek to bring our expertise to all discussions that can shape or affect our industry. We actively inform stakeholders on the ramifications of changes to the business and competitive environment for our members. We also advise stakeholders on the implications of the regulatory environment and vital importance of enforcement.
What does it mean to be a Reputable Sector?
The toy industry depends on the quality of its reputation. Consumers need to have complete faith in our members’ commitment to manufacturing toys that are safe above all other concerns. Meanwhile, policymakers need to recognise our willingness to work with them to improve how toys are regulated.
We need to work hard to protect our deserved reputation for producing high quality, safe and affordable toys. Unfortunately, not all individuals can be trusted to share this ethic; counterfeiters, copiers and rogue traders offer products that may not adhere to the high standards applied by TIE members. Without proper enforcement, these products can undermine the industry’s standing through no fault of its own. Therefore, part of our role as a responsible industry is to urge effective enforcement to sustain consumer confidence.
It also means that we need to protect the interests of our industry as a whole and our members. The industry is highly innovative – 60 % of toys released each year are novel – and needs IP protection that recognises this. The SMEs that make up the vast majority of our members often lack the resources to represent themselves; they depend on a credible and reputable industry to act on their behalf.
It is about more than just our toys
Our members, reputable toy companies, also take special care that all their communications are appropriate for children, taking into account their right to privacy and safety online.
They make sure that all their communication with children are honest, truthful and respect both children’s sensitivities and parents’ expectations. Our members comply fully with national law and self-regulate to a level above the demands of EU law.
Well-designed marketing communication can help families to make informed choices about the toys they choose. Consumer information shows children and adults what the toys are designed to do, re-emphasising the safety aspect. TIE’s members invest in media literacy programmes to help consumers understand advertising.