Do not get me wrong. All the upheaval about the millions recalled toys and other quality-related issues regarding products from China is long overdue. Even a hundred TV-shows cannot hide that something is seriously wrong in the way quality control is done in this country. And yes, there is now a fair amount of China-bashing going on, but that is very well deserved China-bashing.But the question what Mattel, and other companies, have been doing to stop this scandalous export of faulty products is a question that is all too easy ignored. Of course it is awful that millions of American children might be in danger when they bite on their toys, but has anybody already looked after the thousands of Chinese workers who have been painting those toys? They must have been exposed to much higher dangerous levels of lead than any of the children involved.
Quality and quality control ask for a comprehensive approach. When there is no guarantee that the working conditions at the suppliers are not adequate, the end products are also at risk, as we see now. Unfortunately, and it has been argued here and here over and over again, the strategy of policing your Chinese suppliers has been declared bankrupt. It is failing, has been failing for a long time, and might never have worked really well.
In the light of that discussion it is shocking to see that Mattel get almost the role of a victim, in stead of that of at least a fellow conspirator.
I do not want to follow this line and put also a part of the blame with the consumer, who has been more than happy to get nice products for an every cheaper price. It is the task of the producers, Chinese and others, to make sure their workers and their consumers do not get hurt in the process. The Mattel-recall should be an opportunity to get safer products, both for the consumers and the Chinese workers.
That is most likely against a higher price, but that price the consumers should be willing to pay.
3 comments:
My arguement is, why put the blame on consumers? Consumers is not involve in all the dealings to produce cheaper goods therefore MAKING more money for the producers, middlemen etc.
I am a consumer of all things. I do not buy if I think the good is too expensive for the quality it protrays. I am sure most consumers behave that way ... we pay what we think is correct. When goods are too expensive for the average people, no sales, no income for the bosses. Therefore the 'businessmen' try to find ways to increase their bottomlines. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE INTERESTS OF THE CONSUMERS IN MIND, but their very own pockets. SO, PLEASE, do not put the problem of soddy goods produced by China on the shoulders of consumers from outside China.
I do not side Mittle. But don't you think one should start with questioning why there are so many millionaires in China these days while millions and millions and millions of Chinese in China still live below poverty level? Now that products from China are in questions, there will be even more unemployed from the formerly toy or electrical etc. factories. The bosses of these factories won't suffer much except perhaps driving a lesser expensive car, or less trips overseas, or a spalsh at the spa. Tt is the poor Chinese workers who will be paying the price and be the victims once again. NOT those millionaires.
I enjoy reading good arguements, but this one I do not buy.
Eh. In my piece I blame Mattel, not the consumers.
Fons, if I were a top official in China, I would simply issue a press release directing American parents not to let their children put these toys in their mouths, end of story. OK, maybe use gloves and face mask, as extra protection, for those few Americans so terribly worried about their children. As far as Chinese workers are considered, have you visited Chinese factories' latrines? They are far more lethal than any conditions the workers face in the factories.
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