At least one major toy manufacturer is responding to the concerns expressed by hundreds of WBZ-TV and wbztv.com viewers about the packaging used on children's toys.
Earlier this week, Jon Keller wrote a commentary expressing his frustration at the Fort Knox-style packaging that leaves customers angry and oft-times injured in the process of opening kids toys.
"Welcome to the house of horror, your local toy store, where the cost and the crowds are nothing compared with the agony of getting the darn things open," Keller wrote. (Read Keller's Commentary)
We invited viewers to sign an online petition asking that, "the makers of the toys our children love best make the packaging easier to open. Our children want to be able to play with the toys they open Christmas morning … without watching their parents fight, fumble, cut themselves, and curse at the packaging."
More than 350 people signed and left comments, begging the toy companies to take action.
"There has got to be a better way to protect products without making it rocket science," wrote Lauren Gallivan of Raynham.
"Please help with this issue my grand child received 3 stitches," wrote Patricia Bornemann of Taunton.
Friday, we sent your concerns along to Mattel, Hasbro, and the Toy Industry Association, which represents 500 toy makers.
Mattel was quick to respond to your petition, within a matter of hours.
"There are many things that we have to consider when shipping our toys," wrote Mattel spokesperson Sara Rosales. "But the most important consideration is that we do not want to ever disappoint any child receiving our toys, and especially not on their birthday or other special occasion such as Christmas morning, if the toy was to arrive broken.
"Mattel uses packaging that provides the sturdiest and most reliable way to deliver quality product to retail. Most of our products, particularly technology-based toys that include innovative mechanisms, require protecting packaging. The integrity of the product upon delivery to retail and more importantly to homes nationwide is of the utmost importance to us…
"We continuously introduce new designs into our packaging, such as packaging locking posts, to make the experience as simple and effortless for consumers as possible, while delivering high quality product at the same time. We have eliminated the twist-ties on some toys and with the new locking posts, consumers are able to simply lift the post and twist it to the right to "unlock" the product from its packaging. This change has come about as a result of feedback that we have received from consumers."
Satisfied? Your call.
We will keep you updated if we hear back from Hasbro or the Toy Industry folks.
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