Good Decision to Recall Defective Goods That Are Not Defective

Vice Commerce Minister Goa Hucheng has been taking lessons from Baghdad Bob:

China said Thursday that a global recall of millions of its toys was the responsible thing to do, but said that was the result of new industry standards, not poor quality.

Vice Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said 18.2 million of the recalled products were pulled off the shelves because of a May revision of standards involving magnets. "The U.S. dealer voluntarily recalled the toys that were made and sold before 2007, which at the time conformed to standards. This is a very responsible action for the health of children and consumers," Mr. Gao said at a news conference.
"But strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with the toys' quality or its manufacturers." Mr. Gao said Mattel should also share the responsibility in the latest recall because it did not conduct "strict examinations" when it received toy shipments.

Minister Gao is talking out of both sides of his mouth. However, I agree with his assessment that Mattel should share the responsibility. Ultimately, Mattel, as retailer, should be responsible for the quality of the merchandise which carries its name.