Consumer Confidential: Toys, toys and soda pop

Here's your wonderfully Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- Get the lead out. That's the message from the California attorney general's office to six major retailers found still to have toys on their shelves containing lead. "These products must be removed from store shelves at once to protect our kids from toxic lead exposure," Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown told Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Sears, Walgreens and Tuesday Morning. More info is available here.

--Speaking of which, the Consumer Products Safety Commission is trying to get the word out to parents about new federal rules regarding toy safety. Here's what they have to say.

--Don't go looking to Costco if you want to score some Coke (as in cola). The retail giant has removed Coca-Cola products from its shelves because of a pricing dispute with the sugar-water maker. Both sides are trying to remain diplomatic amid the spat, but it's clear things have escalated to an ugly level. Maybe not a bad time to try some fruit juice instead.

-- David Lazarus

  

Consumer Confidential: Recovery, video games, Exxon

Here's your thrilling Thursday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--The economy's on the upswing. Jobs, not so much. All eyes are now fixed on whether consumers will keep spending into next year, pushing corporate profits higher and maybe, just maybe, prompting one or two employers to start hiring again. I'm thinking that since the cash for clunkers program was such a boon to the auto industry, how about cash-for-pretty-much-every-other-big-thing? I'm sure there are lots of appliances and beds and other stuff that people would be more than happy to replace, if the price was right. Just saying.

--Despite the fact that my family finally took the plunge and bought a Wii this year, committing us to a never-ending cycle of splurging on new games, our friends at Nintendo say their profit fell by more than 50% since April. The main reason: Wii sales are on the wane. I'll cut you a deal, guys. Slash your game prices and I'll buy everything with "Mario" in the title. A win-win for us both.

--Exxon Mobil says its profit fell by 68% in the most recent quarter as oil prices came down. Man, that just breaks my heart. Last year, lest we forget, the oil giant pocketed the biggest wad in U.S. corporate history -- more than $45 billion.

-- David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential: Toys, tricks and trash

Here's your make-my-Monday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--Toys R Us is making it easier to buy big stuff. The company has unveiled an interest-free layaway plan for larger items such as bikes and cribs ahead of the holiday season. Effective immediately, customers can place such items on hold and make a series of payments until the item is paid for in full. Then you can have your thing. This has been a popular ploy among retailers at times in the past and is now making a recessionary return with some major chains, including Sears and Kmart. Toys R Us said it decided to climb aboar the layaway express after being asked to do so by customers.

--Be careful buying any product online that purports to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure H1N1 flu. That's the word from our friends at the Food and Drug Administration, which recently sampled some of the offerings available on the Net and found questionable ingredients from questionable places. Moreover, the FDA says the websites it purchased the samples from vanished shortly after the transaction was completed. Want to protect yourself from swine flu? Get a flu shot.

--In other FDA news, the agency has put up a website to help people dispose of outdated and potentially dangerous drugs. Certain meds should be flushed down the toilet to prevent them from being taken by others (although what this will do to the alligators in the sewer, the feds don't say). Others can be thrown out in the trash. Check the site to find out which med should get which treatment.

-- David Lazarus

Mattel reaches settlement over recalls of lead-tainted toys in 2007

Mattel Inc. says it has reached an agreement to settle "virtually all" U.S. claims related to its 2007 toy recalls.

The world's largest toy maker recalled millions of toys that year because they contained excessive levels of lead or had design problems, such as hazardous magnets. Mattel said the class-action settlement was subject to court approval.

"Safety of our products remains Mattel's top priority," the El Segundo-based company said in a short statement Tuesday.

According to a statement by plaintiff law firm Whatley Drake & Kallas, the settlement "provides tens of millions of dollars in monetary relief as well as significant injunctive relief."

Consumers who participated in the recall will receive a check for 50% of the total vouchers they sent in or $10, whichever is greater, the law firm said. Those who did not participate in the recalls but who have a recalled toy or proof of purchase of a recalled toy will receive a check or a voucher in the amount of the price paid for the toy. Click here for additional details.

-- Andrea Chang

Target settles CPSC allegations of selling toys with lead paint in $600,000 fine

Target Corp. has agreed to pay a $600,000 fine for allegedly violating the federal lead paint ban for toys, the Consumer Products Safety Commission said.

The civil penalty is a part of a settlement between the Commission and the Minneapolis, Minn., retailer that stems from accusations by the agency that Target knowingly imported and sold multiple toys with paint or other coatings containing illegal amounts of lead from May 2006 to August 2007.

The agency also accused Target of failing to prevent toys or other children’s products with lead in them from being imported or sold in its stores, which created a risk of lead poisoning and children's health problems.

As a part of the settlement, Target has denied Commission allegations that it broke any laws.

Target voluntarily recalled the toys in question, including Anima Bamboo Collection Games, Happy Giddy Gardening Tools, Kool Toyz and Sunny Patch Chairs, the agency said.

Lead has been banned from toy paint since 1978.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Photos: Recalled Kool Toyz products (top) and Anima Bamboo Collection Games (bottom). Credit: Consumer Product Safety Commission

Toys R Us and Best Buy hiring seasonal workers

Santa Claus isn't the only one working overtime at Christmas.

Toys R Us is currently looking for 35,000 temporary workers for the holiday season, the retailer said today. The jobs include management roles and positions as sales associates and back-of-house stock employees and will be in the company's traditional stores and in about 350 Holiday Express toy shops nationwide.

Not surprisingly, store traffic at Toys R Us locations is highest over the holidays, so the retailer also will give  existing employees the chance to work extra hours during the season.

Recent surveys have shown that retailers would cut back on seasonal workers this year, but Toys R Us said the number of holiday employees it planned to hire was in line with its 2008 and 2007 holiday numbers.

Click here for a complete list of available Toys R Us positions and job descriptions.

If you'd rather sell electronics than toys, Bloomberg is reporting that Best Buy plans to hire more seasonal workers this year to help meet demand for flat-panel televisions and mobile phones. The chain didn't specify the number of holiday employees it planned to hire.

-- Andrea Chang

Toys R Us releases list of hottest toys for holiday season

Toys R Us today released its list of the 36 hottest toys for the holidays, including "Toy Story" talking action figures, Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Barbie dolls.

The retailer said it compiled its Holiday Hot Toy List by testing the best products throughout the year and taking into account "outstanding value in quality, price and play."

"There are so many great new toys, games and kid-friendly electronics available this year that we had a difficult time narrowing down the items on the list," said Karen Dodge, senior vice president and chief merchandising officer of the company’s U.S. division. "With toys spanning every price point, parents will have lots of affordable fun options to choose from this holiday season."

Following is the Toys R Us "Fabulous 15," a subset of the 36 toys on the Holiday Hot Toy List:

• Bakugan Battle Brawlers New Vestroia Maxus Helios 7 in 1 from Spin Master
• Chixos Pink Design-A-Luxury Loft from Spin Master
• Color Me a Song from Crayola Beginnings
• Disney Netpal from ASUS
• Disney•Pixar Toy Story Interactive Buddies Talking Action Figures (Buzz and Woody) from Thinkway
• Disney Princess: Just One Kiss Princess Tiana Doll from Mattel
• Fast Lane JLX Oover Drive Radio Control All Terrain Vehicle from Toys R Us
• Laugh & Learn Learning Farm from Fisher-Price
• Little Mommy Baby Ah-Choo from Fisher-Price
• Mindflex from Mattel
• Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 from Hasbro
• "Star Wars" Fan's Choice Anniversary Edition Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser from Lego
• "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" Construction Devastator from Hasbro
• Wii Sports Resort from Nintendo
• Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster from Cepia

-- Andrea Chang

Photo: The Construction Devastator is on Toys R Us' 2009 Holiday Hot Toy List. Credit: Craig Ruttle / Associated Press

Wal-Mart offers affordable family fun with new Family Night Centers

Wal-Mart is making family fun a new priority.

This month, the world's largest retailer will launch in-store Family Night Centers, which are designed to give customers a one-stop shop for at-home activities including board games, movies and snacks.

The retailer said it hoped the Family Night Centers would help provide affordable entertainment for families as they spend more time at home during the recession.

"With busier schedules and kids heading back to school, now is a great time to provide a dedicated place in our stores to give Mom the savings and ideas to create fun, quality time for her family this fall," said Laura Phillips, chief toy officer and senior vice president of entertainment for Wal-Mart.

Family Night Centers include: Board games Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders and Yahtzee for $8; Jenga and Monopoly for $10; Operation and Twister for $15; and movies including "Camp Rock," "Enchanted" and "High School Musical" for $10.

-- Andrea Chang

Los Angeles firm settles hazardous toys allegations

A Los Angeles firm agreed to pay $31,500 to settle allegations that it imported and sold toys that were hazardous to young children.

TGH International Trading Inc. brought more than 11,000 toys into the U.S. between March 2005 and June 2006 containing small parts that presented a choking hazard to kids. Many of the hazardous toys were seized at the Port of Long Beach by federal officials before they could reach store shelves.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said today that it wasn't aware of any incidents or injuries involving toys that were distributed.

TGH refused to comment on the settlement. But in agreeing to pay the $31,500 civil penalty, the company denied that it violated federal law.

-- W.J. Hennigan

Little Tikes recalls 1.6 million toy workshops and trucks

Little Tikes is recalling 1.6 million toy workshops and trucks after a toddler choked on a plastic nail.

The voluntary recall covers five toy models sold by Little Tikes as far back as March 1994, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The problem involves the bright red and blue plastic nails that accompanied the Hudson, Ohio-based company's Electronic Project Workshop, the Little Handiworker Workhorse, the Home Improvements Two-sided Workshop, the Swirlin' Sawdust Workshop and the Black Pickup Truck with Tools.

The toys were sold by major retailers including Toys R Us as well as online at www.littletikes.com and other websites for $25 to $100. Consumers should immediately take the toy nails away from young children and contact Little Tikes for a free replacement.

Little Tikes said in a statement that the toys were intended for children ages 2 and older. The child who swallowed the toy part was an 11-month-old boy from Goose Creek, S.C. The plastic nail -- about 3¼ inches long by 1¼ inch in diameter -- "forcefully lodged" in the boy's throat. He was hospitalized and has made a full recovery.

Some of the products are no longer sold by the company. But the toys may have been handed down to new owners or sold at garage sales.

Tom Richmond, general manager of Little Tikes Worldwide, said that"we realize Little Tikes toys are actively played with in homes where younger siblings reside and for that reason believe we must do everything possible to ensure the safety of not only the toddler or preschooler for whom the toy is intended, but also for other children who may come in contact with the toy.”

The CPSC said it was also interested in "receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product."

-- Ronald D. White

Photos: The voluntary recall covers five toy models sold by Little Tikes as far back as March 1994. Credit: Consumer Product Safety Commission