0:00:04 > 0:00:06Take a look around your home.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25With the help of the country's top experts,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27we're going to see what it takes
0:00:27 > 0:00:30to test the household products we use every day.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40We'll put the makers' claims on trial.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And show you how to make your money go further.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49You'll find these products in any ordinary house,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52but this is no ordinary house.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54And no ordinary street.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57This is the Watchdog Test House.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Hello. We're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Here at the Building Research Establishment
0:01:09 > 0:01:13some of the products and materials that we use every day
0:01:13 > 0:01:17are put to the test to make sure that they're safe,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20environmentally friendly and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26Coming up on today's programme - beware the counterfeit toys...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28When you hear people saying they went blue,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30you think it's a figure of speech.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32No, he was actually blue, he couldn't breathe.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36The crackdown on dangerous products coming onto the market.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39That is a potential choking hazard for children.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41The battle of the bags.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45How do supermarket plastic bags stand up to some serious testing?
0:01:48 > 0:01:51And why the modern-day motorcycle helmet
0:01:51 > 0:01:54might not be here without Lawrence of Arabia.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00First, toys.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Not surprisingly they're among
0:02:01 > 0:02:04some of the most regulated products on the market.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06In fact, under current legislation
0:02:06 > 0:02:11most toys require thousands of pages of official safety documentation
0:02:11 > 0:02:13before they can be sold.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18Sadly, even such stringent controls can't always prevent a dangerous toy
0:02:18 > 0:02:21from falling into the hands of a child.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24'It was Oliver Bullock's first Christmas
0:02:24 > 0:02:26'and his mum Gemma had bought him a soft toy
0:02:26 > 0:02:30'which she thought had been made by the popular brand Lamaze.'
0:02:30 > 0:02:34I bought the toy online and the toy was for zero months plus,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37and Oliver was only two months at the time.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I thought it was safe for him, basically.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43'What Gemma didn't know was she'd accidentally bought a fake.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46'What appeared to be a harmless plaything
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'was in fact a serious danger to her baby.'
0:02:49 > 0:02:53I was doing my hair in the mirror and I heard a noise.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56A noise I hadn't heard before.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'I looked across and realised Ollie was actually going blue'
0:02:59 > 0:03:01and the leg had actually got so far stuck into his throat
0:03:01 > 0:03:03he was basically just swallowing it
0:03:03 > 0:03:05and the knot had got jammed in his throat.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08When you hear people saying, "They went blue",
0:03:08 > 0:03:10you think it's a figure of speech. No, he was actually blue.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12He couldn't breathe.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16'Luckily Gemma managed to remove the leg from his throat quickly.'
0:03:17 > 0:03:21He just screamed. Both of us were really, really shaken up.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22I couldn't believe it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27I checked the toy over and I realised my toy didn't have the CE mark.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31A CE mark is evidence that a toy meets British standards
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and has been subjected to rigorous safety testing before being sold.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39It's a legal requirement under toy-safety regulations
0:03:39 > 0:03:41for any toy sold in the UK.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43If it doesn't have this stamp
0:03:43 > 0:03:46then there's a good chance it hasn't been tested
0:03:46 > 0:03:47and might not be safe.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50It was only when I went onto the actual Lamaze website itself
0:03:50 > 0:03:51to check the toy
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and then I realised the pictures were completely different
0:03:55 > 0:03:57and I couldn't believe it.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58I phoned Lamaze.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01The man from Lamaze was really, really helpful.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05He said he was aware of counterfeit toys entering the UK.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'Lamaze told Gemma their toys would always be sold with a CE mark.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The one she'd bought Oliver was a fake.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14So Gemma ordered the genuine toy.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Once I'd got them I put them next to each other.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18The colours on them,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22the actual Lamaze one were really bright and vibrant.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24The colours on the fake one, you could see they were already fading
0:04:24 > 0:04:26although it was only a month old,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29but it was only when comparing it to a genuine one
0:04:29 > 0:04:31you can see the difference.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34And the legs on which Oliver choked were much longer on the fake toy
0:04:34 > 0:04:37than the real one, posing a much greater risk.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I honestly can't believe somebody would make a counterfeit toy
0:04:40 > 0:04:43for a baby, a newborn baby. They can't defend themselves.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48As with all products, it's up to the manufacturers
0:04:48 > 0:04:51to ensure their toys meet all the relevant safety legislation
0:04:51 > 0:04:55and, if they're not on top of it, Trading Standards will be.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'What we don't want to do is we don't want to be stopping stuff
0:04:58 > 0:05:00'once it's on the market and particularly perhaps
0:05:00 > 0:05:02'once somebody has been injured.'
0:05:02 > 0:05:04If we can stop it here at the point of entry
0:05:04 > 0:05:07that's obviously the ideal situation.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11'Later we'll join the officers at the port in Southampton,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'as they seize products believed to be dangerous.'
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- I've pulled it apart! - HE LAUGHS
0:05:16 > 0:05:21- Silly.- And that is a potential choking hazard for children.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'And we'll see what happens
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'when the toys are put through their paces in the lab.'
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Now, plastic bags.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40From next year the government plans to introduce a 5p charge
0:05:40 > 0:05:42for every disposable bag given out at supermarkets
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and larger stores in England,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48following similar moves in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51The idea is to cut down on the number of these that we all use.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Good for the environment,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55but what exactly are you getting for your money?
0:05:56 > 0:06:02Well, Sophie, Tesco say theirs uses less plastic but are just as strong.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Sainsbury's offer you a Nectar point each time you use the same bag.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Morrisons claim to be strong enough to be reused
0:06:08 > 0:06:13and ASDA encourage you to bring their bags back for a second go.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16So, we're going to find out just how reusable plastic bags
0:06:16 > 0:06:19from the four biggest supermarkets really are.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24To start with, we're going to take a look at each bag's vital statistics
0:06:24 > 0:06:27here at the National Measurement Office.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Bag production over the years, the production method hasn't changed,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33but the speed of production has changed,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the bags are a lot thinner than they used to be
0:06:36 > 0:06:38and they're made a lot quicker.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41So, first up, we're going to see how thick our bags are.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46This nifty bit of kit measures items 1/500th of the width of a human hair,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49making simple plastic bags easy pickings.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55Our thinnest bags are from Morrisons and Sainsbury's at 0.011mm.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Our thickest is from Tesco, at 0.013mm,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04with ASDA just behind at 0.012mm.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06But does that translate to a stronger bag?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Time to find out.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Each of the bags is suspended from a hook and weights gradually added,
0:07:13 > 0:07:18500g at a time. More weight will be added until the bag breaks.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27You can see the bag handles take the strain and stretch,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29although that isn't a sign of weakness.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34If you're carrying heavy shopping for any distance
0:07:34 > 0:07:37you will notice that it starts to stretch around the handles.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Then the handles get longer,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but as the handles get longer they are getting stronger.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Our first bag to break proves that thickness isn't everything.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51It's ASDA, the second-thickest bag.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Although the ASDA bag did manage over 15kg,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59the equivalent of 15 bags of sugar.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Sainsbury's was next to go at 18kg.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Leaving Morrisons and Tesco's in joint first place
0:08:05 > 0:08:09as they both managed to withstand an impressive 21.5kgs.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12The plastic bags in front of us
0:08:12 > 0:08:15are probably made from polyethylene, which is a plastic.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18The Tesco one was the thickest but if you look at the bottom,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22it says HDPE, which is high-density polyethylene,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26which is one of the stronger grades of polyethylene.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28So, it seems how strong a bag is
0:08:28 > 0:08:31doesn't necessarily relate to how flimsy it may look,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33with one of our thinnest bags, Morrisons,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35finishing joint top,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39and one of our thickest bags, ASDA, in last place.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41So, treating our bags more gently
0:08:41 > 0:08:43could help get them home in one piece.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47So, how will they stand up to the real world?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50If I start putting the load on very slowly
0:08:50 > 0:08:53you can feel that it's getting stronger.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You can see I'm pulling quite hard on this bag now,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00but if I pull it very quickly... it's just going to snap.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02So, treating our bags more gently
0:09:02 > 0:09:05could help get them home in one piece.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08So, how will they stand up to the real world -
0:09:08 > 0:09:10the jiggling that comes with the journey home,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and the strange-shaped objects that come with the weekly shop?
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Find out later.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Now, crash helmets.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23These days, they're put through rigorous testing
0:09:23 > 0:09:27and some are rated according to their performance in safety tests.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32Since 1973, all motorcyclists in the UK have had to wear one by law,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35it's undoubtedly helped save lives.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37In fact, it was the death of a famous military figure
0:09:37 > 0:09:41which prompted the development of the modern-day crash helmet.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42Here's Lynn Faulds Wood.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46'Welcome to Watchdog...
0:09:46 > 0:09:48'In tonight's programme...
0:09:48 > 0:09:50'All these people have written to us...'
0:09:55 > 0:09:59In 1935, TE Lawrence, the British Army Officer
0:09:59 > 0:10:01made internationally famous
0:10:01 > 0:10:04by the Oscar-winning film Lawrence Of Arabia,
0:10:04 > 0:10:09died after sustaining fatal head injuries in a motorcycle accident.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11He wasn't wearing a helmet.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16One of the doctors attending him was neurosurgeon Sir Hugh Cairns.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And he was so profoundly affected by treating Lawrence,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23that he began a long study into the unnecessary loss of life
0:10:23 > 0:10:25through motorcycling head injuries.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30This is the British Medical Journal published in 1941.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And in it there are pages and pages
0:10:33 > 0:10:37of really detailed research by Sir Hugh Cairns.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And the conclusion of all his pioneering work
0:10:40 > 0:10:43was that if crash helmets became the standard
0:10:43 > 0:10:46it could save countless lives.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50That same year, as a result of his research,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52it became compulsory
0:10:52 > 0:10:56for crash helmets to be worn by British Army motorcyclists.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59But even though it was now established
0:10:59 > 0:11:02as a vital piece of safety equipment,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05the crash helmet was still fairly basic in design.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09The first helmets tended to be made from felt and gosh shells
0:11:09 > 0:11:12with cork shock-absorbing padding.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14They gave good abrasion protection,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18some impact protection, but they had a long way to go
0:11:18 > 0:11:22to offer proper shock-absorption in protecting the brain.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25'No-one is more vulnerable than the motorcyclist.'
0:11:25 > 0:11:29It wasn't until after World War II that the Road Research Laboratory,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32the Government body responsible for road safety,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36began to test the materials and performance of crash helmets.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37Inside the head form
0:11:37 > 0:11:40they would actually fit a light bulb
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and the measurement of pass or failure
0:11:42 > 0:11:45was whether the light bulb actually was broken.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Which was pretty basic,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50but it technically moved forward rather quickly.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53It was these early tests that led directly
0:11:53 > 0:11:57to developing the world's first performance standard
0:11:57 > 0:12:00for protective helmets in 1951.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07It was tremendously important because it set the benchmark.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09This period of time,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12the UK led the world in head protection.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17As development continued, new materials were introduced.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Then in the late 1950s, Roy Richter, a US auto racer,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26developed the Bell 500 with a polystyrene liner.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30This was really a quantum leap.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32The helmets were much more efficient
0:12:32 > 0:12:36and the overall protection given was greatly improved.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40But it was another Doctor, George Snively,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44who, after the death of American car racer, Pete William Snell in 1956,
0:12:44 > 0:12:49was really to push the boundaries of crash-helmet safety testing.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51It was an unnecessary death
0:12:51 > 0:12:54because the helmet he was wearing had failed.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59George was devastated by this and angered as well
0:12:59 > 0:13:03and had a closer look at the standards and the helmets
0:13:03 > 0:13:07and formed the American Snell Foundation.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10The Snell Foundation took existing standards
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and moved testing to a higher level,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17demanding more and more protective performance from the industry.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20George Snively needs to be thanked
0:13:20 > 0:13:24in introducing that ethos
0:13:24 > 0:13:25into helmet testing.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29By the late 1960s,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33the first Bell full-face crash helmet was introduced,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36offering more protection than ever before.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Then, in 1973, 32 years after
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Sir Hugh Cairns' ground-breaking research,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45crash helmets finally became compulsory
0:13:45 > 0:13:48for all motorcyclists in the UK.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Today, every motorcycle helmet on sale
0:13:52 > 0:13:55has to meet minimum safety requirements,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and many go beyond that.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01But such advances in performance and safety standards
0:14:01 > 0:14:03brought their own set of problems.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05With so many helmets on the market,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07the Department For Transport was concerned
0:14:07 > 0:14:10about the differences in their performance.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13So how would motorcyclists choose between them?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Well, in 2007, SHARP,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20the Safety Helmet Assessment And Rating Programme,
0:14:20 > 0:14:21was introduced.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25The scheme tests helmets to an even higher standard
0:14:25 > 0:14:27than the minimum requirements.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Their performance is then rated using a five-star scoring system.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36It's here, at the INSPEC facility,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38that these tests are carried out.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42We perform two tests configured in slightly different ways
0:14:42 > 0:14:45to assess the impact injury
0:14:45 > 0:14:48that would occur to the brain during an accident.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Many sections of the helmets
0:14:54 > 0:14:58are tested to simulate different impact positions.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59The linear test is looking at
0:14:59 > 0:15:02the shock-absorption performance of the helmet
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and we would be impacting the helmet at three velocities,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09against a flat anvil, which would simulate a road surface,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13or a kerbstone anvil, which would simulate the rider hitting the curb.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20The oblique test assesses the frictional properties of the helmet.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25The test is assessing the rotational effect of that helmet
0:15:25 > 0:15:29as it would stick to something like a road surface.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Meaning that the head is not going to get caught on the road
0:15:33 > 0:15:36and you won't get rotational injuries.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38The results from these tests are analysed
0:15:38 > 0:15:42to determine each helmet's Sharp Star rating.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46We probably performed approximately 15,000 individual impacts,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49which equates to about 300 models.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54The more stars, the better protection the helmet can give.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58In fact, if motorcyclists actually wore the safest helmets available,
0:15:58 > 0:16:04it's estimated that every year up to 50 lives could be saved.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Now, do you take vitamins, some vitamin C perhaps
0:16:14 > 0:16:16if you think you're coming down with a cold?
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Or maybe something more specific,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22a multivitamin for pregnancy or old age.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25The chief scientist from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Professor Jane Lawrence, is here to talk us through
0:16:28 > 0:16:32whether it's worth splashing out on vitamins and supplements.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34It's very difficult, some worth a few pennies,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36some are worth an awful lot of money.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38How do you navigate this world?
0:16:38 > 0:16:41The first thing to realise is that if you're an adult
0:16:41 > 0:16:44on a normal, healthy diet you probably don't need vitamins.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46There are obviously certain groups of people
0:16:46 > 0:16:48that do need vitamins, young children,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50particularly up to the age of five.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53The elderly may need some vitamins.
0:16:53 > 0:16:54People who want to get pregnant,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57who are pregnant and breastfeeding, will also need vitamins.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00And potentially people who don't go out much in the light
0:17:00 > 0:17:02might need a vitamin D supplement.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05But most of us, probably don't need to spend the money on these.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08You wouldn't think that though when you go into a shop or a chemist
0:17:08 > 0:17:10and the aisles are full of them.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11What about those supplements,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14vitamins that promise to boost your immune system,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17make you less tired, give you more energy, how do they work?
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Unfortunately, the evidence isn't there to say that they do work.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23But if you are feeling particularly tired
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and you have a good, healthy diet and nothing's helping,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I suggest you go to your pharmacist and doctor to get checked out,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31in case you do need something.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33We've spoken to the Health Supplements Information Service,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36the trade body, and they say yes, a healthy diet is recommended,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39but there are people who are not getting a healthy diet
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and therefore supplements can help.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45When you take supplements, you can get them in different forms.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46You can get them in effervescent form,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48you can also just swallow them.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Is one better than another?
0:17:50 > 0:17:51I think it's personal choice,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54but what's important to remember about the effervescent ones,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56they contain quite a high amount of sodium.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00So if you are hypertensive, for example, or on a low-sodium diet,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04taking an effervescent tablet may actually increase your sodium level
0:18:04 > 0:18:06over the daily dose you are meant to have.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And even if you have got a normal diet,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11you might not realise you're taking extra sodium in the tablets.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12It's all in the healthy diet?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14- Yes, it is. - Professor Lawrence, thank you.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Back to those carrier bags now.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Earlier we saw how plastic bags from four of the major supermarkets
0:18:25 > 0:18:27coped with our thickness and strength tests
0:18:27 > 0:18:29under controlled conditions.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31But what about in the real world?
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Yes, under controlled conditions
0:18:34 > 0:18:36we discovered how the strength of a bag
0:18:36 > 0:18:40doesn't necessarily relate to how flimsy the bag may look.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43With one of our thinnest bags, Morrisons,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46finishing joint top, along with Tesco's,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49and one of our thickest bags, Asda, in last place.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Now, for the real-world test.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55With the help of these four sporty volunteers,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57we're going to simulate some shopping scenarios
0:18:57 > 0:19:00here at the Olympic running track at Brunel University.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03All under the watchful eye of Dr Lynn.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05We filled our shopping bags
0:19:05 > 0:19:08with some regular items from a weekly shop.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Each bag contains the exact same items
0:19:10 > 0:19:13which all add up to the exact same weight.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15All our athletes have to do is get to the end of the track
0:19:15 > 0:19:18with the shopping still safe within the bags.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21First up, the leisurely stroll back from the shops,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24something all the bags should be able to cope with easily.
0:19:24 > 0:19:25Let's find out.
0:19:27 > 0:19:28# Right here, right now
0:19:28 > 0:19:30# Right here, right now
0:19:30 > 0:19:32# Right here, right now
0:19:32 > 0:19:34# Right here, right now. #
0:19:35 > 0:19:36MUSIC SCREECHES TO A HALT
0:19:36 > 0:19:39As expected, this test is a breeze for all four bags.
0:19:48 > 0:19:49We can see that all the bags
0:19:49 > 0:19:53have got evidence of some stretching around the handles.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55They all seem to be holding up pretty well.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58But what about upping the pace a bit?
0:19:58 > 0:20:00We're all in a rush these days,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03so let's see how they cope on the return leg at a bit of a jog.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05We're now starting to jog.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07The contents will be bouncing up and down
0:20:07 > 0:20:09and really loading the bags much quicker.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Again, it looks like a sterling performance from all four bags.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Sainsbury's bag still looks pretty good.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Getting a bit thin around the top but still holding up.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Tesco bag, handles are getting much longer and quite white at the top.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Little bit of a split, but not too bad at all.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The Asda bag, it almost looks like it is becoming quite fibrous here.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37But, in spite of the holes, it's still fairly strong.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42The Morrisons bag is showing the same stretching around the handles,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44but it's still bearing up really well,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47so lots of strength left in there. I think they are doing very Well.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52But how about in an emergency - a full-on sprint for the bus?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03And it looks like it's too much for the Asda bag,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06but the other three bags make it safely across the line.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10This is the Asda bag that failed.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13It didn't fail on the really damaged handle,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17but it looks like it's split...down the centre here.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Considering the amount of material,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21it's done very well to do what it's done.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Taking into account the weight test...
0:21:27 > 0:21:30and our real-world simulation...
0:21:30 > 0:21:33we have joint winners in the Tesco and Morrison's bags.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36With Sainsbury's in second place...
0:21:37 > 0:21:39..and Asda third.
0:21:41 > 0:21:42Tesco told us they are committed
0:21:42 > 0:21:45to reducing the use of single-use plastic bags.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Morrisons say they designed their bags
0:21:48 > 0:21:51to be strong enough to carry shopping and to be reused.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Overall, the banks have done very well
0:21:53 > 0:21:55and we should be able to reuse them a number of times.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Very impressed, I think. They stood up to some serious damage quite well.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05Back now to toys.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Most toys that come into the UK are from China
0:22:08 > 0:22:10and, like all imported toys,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14they must comply with the UK's strict safety rules.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16But what about the ones that don't?
0:22:16 > 0:22:19That's where Trading Standards come in.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23They work behind-the-scenes to find them and remove them from sale.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27It's Monday morning at the port of Southampton,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31where Trading Standards officers Malcolm Thornton and Lawrence Downer
0:22:31 > 0:22:34are trying to prevent dangerous toys from reaching the UK market.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36What we don't want to do
0:22:36 > 0:22:39is we don't want to be stopping stuff once it's on the market
0:22:39 > 0:22:41and particularly perhaps once somebody has been injured.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44If we can stop it here at the point of entry,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47that's obviously the ideal situation.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Intelligence reports have led them
0:22:49 > 0:22:51to identify two containers of concern
0:22:51 > 0:22:55on a ship from Hong Kong that docked during the early hours.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58So, what do we reckon is in here? Anything exciting?
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Oh!
0:23:02 > 0:23:0457 different products.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07OK, we'll just dig a few out and have a look.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Not quite sure where we're going to start, mind you.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Almost immediately they find something of interest.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22HE LAUGHS We know these.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30This is obviously a little kiddie's toy, chair,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32whatever you want to call it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34The problem we've had with these in the past
0:23:34 > 0:23:36is the feet come off relatively easily
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and then you've got, on some of them, sharp edges.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Which are a potential...
0:23:43 > 0:23:44hazard.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50And, of course, that is a potential choking hazard for young children.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54We won't be allowing that to go on into the marketplace.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58This early discovery suggests that their intelligence is correct.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Closer investigations are now required.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Let's have a look in here.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08One of the little things about children's toys,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10the battery compartment,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12you have to basically make it childproof
0:24:12 > 0:24:15and you can see, this has been made to take a screw
0:24:15 > 0:24:18so you can't get the battery compartment open without a screw,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21but they haven't bothered to put the screw in.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So, potentially, access to the batteries, choking hazard,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28people can swallow them.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Not a great idea.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34And it's not just the missing screws that are worrying.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Look how securely these...
0:24:36 > 0:24:40There's a small LED there, there's an eye...
0:24:41 > 0:24:43which didn't take a huge amount of strength.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46That's potentially getting into the hands of anyone
0:24:46 > 0:24:48from the age of baby upwards, really.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Next, the team find a set of dolls in the container.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Once again there are problems.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58The actual quality,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03in the past they have pulled apart very easily!
0:25:03 > 0:25:07And that is a potential choking hazard to children.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10So, not particularly scientific, but you can see what happens.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12It's the sort of thing which will encourage us
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- to think we'll probably have that tested, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19And that's exactly what they do.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21The seizures have resulted in six different toys
0:25:21 > 0:25:24being sent for safety analysis to a lab in Portsmouth.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30The team start with a tension test
0:25:30 > 0:25:33on a shoelace from one of the dolls.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38This will establish how easily it can be detached from the toy.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48So that breaks straightaway.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Units of force are measured in newtons.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54This shoelace should have withstood a force of 19 newtons,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57in fact just 0.5 and it came apart.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01It could be deemed as a choking hazard, couldn't it?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The next experiment tests the material on this doll
0:26:04 > 0:26:06to see how easily it will tear.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11The quality for the seams is 70 newton minimum force,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14this actually failed at 28 newtons.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15The fibrous filling material
0:26:15 > 0:26:18shouldn't be accessible to young children.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21So that immediately fails the standard.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Following this failure,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26it's time for flammability tests on another doll.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30This one should not burn faster than 30 millimetres per second.
0:26:40 > 0:26:41210 millimetres.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Finally a pass.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49The doll burns at a rate of just five millimetres a second.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51It's not considered a fire risk,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53but it did fail other tests.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56And remember the toy dog that was seized?
0:26:56 > 0:27:00It now faces the all-important tension test on the nose and eyes.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08So the actual dye that was behind the eye.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12And the wires on that have got sharp points,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15but also LED soldered joints.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Which again, it shouldn't be accessible to the children.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21In fact, all the toys seized and tested
0:27:21 > 0:27:23failed at least one requirement.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26So a successful operation for Malcolm and his team.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29These particular products obviously won't be reaching the market,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32so they won't get into the hands of young children
0:27:32 > 0:27:35where they might possibly have done some damage or injury.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42If you want more information on the safety of products in your home,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44you can go to our website:
0:27:50 > 0:27:52That's all for today. Thanks for watching.