August 7th 2007

 

Law firm advises UK businesses to check quality of imported goods.

Following the Fisher Price product recall last week, an international law firm is warning businesses which import goods from China and sell them in the UK to check the quality of the products they are selling.

The Chinese-made Fisher Price toys were recalled over safety fears that the paint used contained too much lead. It is the most recent case in a series of safety scares involving flawed goods such as toys, food and drugs that were manufactured in China.

David Williams from international law firm Hammonds, which defends companies against product liability suits, says this is just the tip of the iceberg.

"The number of products that don't conform to the British Safety Standards is increasing and, unfortunately, it is becoming obvious that goods produced in countries like China seem to be the ones most likely to be withdrawn from sale," he said.

China has recently vowed to introduce tougher quality controls on products and it maintains that the majority of its exports are safe.

"We aren't saying that you shouldn't do business with Chinese companies as there are clearly a wealth of legitimate opportunities for UK businesses that shouldn't be ignore," Williams continued. "As with doing business with any overseas entity it is wise to take steps to protect your business.

"For example, if you plan to deal with any overseas exporter it might be worth inspecting the factory or products before they are shipped, as well as putting in place other measures to monitor the integrity of your supply chain."