Different requirements for different products
Most bathing toys and inflatable bath toys used on beaches during the summer season are defined as toys and must meet a number of requirements. This applies to toys intended for use in shallow water that can keep a child afloat or support the child in the water. Small bath mattresses and swim rings with a diameter of less than 1.2 meters are examples of such toys.
Bath toys that are over 1.2 meters in diameter are normally intended for use in deep water and are therefore not considered toys, but as sports and leisure products. Swimming training equipment for children is also not considered a bath toy. Different requirements apply here than for toys.
Requirements and CE marking for children's bath toys
Those who manufacture, import and sell the products must ensure that the products meet the regulatory requirements for safety and are thus safe to use. The products must be marked with the CE mark, which is the manufacturer's guarantee for this.
The requirements state, for example, that bath toys must have warning signs and clear labelling with the age group for which they are intended.
The DSB and the Norwegian Environment Agency are responsible for supervising compliance with the regulations. This means that we can carry out market checks and random checks to check that the manufacturers meet the requirements. This does not mean that all products available on the market have been tested and approved by us.
As a consumer, you must therefore be aware and make an assessment before buying such a product. It is also important to think about safety during use.
What you should watch out for
Read the instruction manual and choose toys that are appropriate for the age group if you are buying for a child. Inflatable bath toys are not safety products and should not be used as an alternative to life jackets or other products that ensure safety.
Always keep an eye on children playing with inflatable bath toys in or near water. Children who cannot swim should wear a life jacket.
Although there are requirements for safety and functionality for both inflatable toys and floating leisure items, it must be remembered that there are also external conditions that can affect safety. For example, wind or current conditions can cause you to be dragged outwards, making it difficult to get ashore.
It is also important to remember that many large bath toys/floating leisure items that are collected on the beach or in the water will also make it difficult to keep an overview, both on land and at sea.