Schools ban Clarks toy shoes
It's hard to believe that a shoe brand which has an unrivalled reputation for producing hardy school shoes that facilitate healthy feet, should suddenly find itself being banned from schools but that is exactly what is happening with certain styles of Clarks shoes.
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Primary schools across the UK are this week faced with the problem of children bringing toys into school in their shoes. Not only are the toys causing problems in playgrounds and classrooms with children's behaviour, but they are genuine concerns about the safety of the shoes themselves.
Clarks Yo Toys range launched this summer with accompanying toys housed in 'secret' compartments in the sole of the shoe. Yo Toys are divided into Daisy Chance which feature dolls in a variety of girls' styles, and Zoomz, boys' shoes with hidden cars. Clarks has invested heavily in promoting Yo Toys with a dedicated television ads campaigns for the boys' and girls' styles and website.
One London primary school which opened on Wednesday September 5 sent a letter to parents' the following day warning: "The small toys placed in the heel of the shoes are a health and safety risk. A child could easily swallow the tiny pieces causing choking. If your child has a pair of these shoes then the toys must be removed when worn to school."
Two out of the five girl's Diasy Chain styles could be considered appropriate for most schools and one out of the four in the boys Zoomz range would be deemed appropriate by most primary schools if it were not for the hidden toys. Writer Caitlin Moran recently vented her spleen about Yo Toy shoes in The Times newspaper and described the horror of being pressurised by her own child to buy them.
Unfortunately, there is no-one at Clarks available to comment until Monday (we'll update you then).
words: Marian Buckley
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I've yet to hear - I have had no comment from Clarks even though I requested one on Friday 7th.
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Editor of fuk.co.uk
Having bought a pair of these shoes foe my Son i was,nt surprised when the toy got lost of it's first outing - I am now telling my son we will try to find it or will have to buy him another hence my going on line and finding this forum - does any one know if you can get replacement cars?
I must admit when i saw the small parts i did wonder about some kids trying to eat them but as mine is past that stage i dismissed it.
Not surprised about the school attitude - in the litagation age we live in they are more concerned about something like this then they used to be in my day.
I suspect i will be getting a letter re these shoes before xmas!!
paul
hey paul,
i work for a clarks store in wales. if you go into your local store and ask for a replacement car due to your son loosing his then they should be more than happy to provide you with one. as you can imagine many children have lost the toy out of their shoes, you are not alone. staff in your local store should be very understanding of the situation, i myself have given a few replacement toys to parents over the months we have been selling them and im sure i will be handing out many more. hope this helps
x
Although obviously a very innovative and impressive idea of making an every day item more enjoyable for its age range, I agree and can sympathise with the thought that it be inappropriate for school usage. This in itself is a great shame seeing as Clarks has always been know as (mentioned above), to be 'a shoe brand which has an unrivalled reputation for producing hardy school shoes that facilitate healthy feet,'
However I'm sure a great deal of thought will go into a way of dealing with this problem maintaining Clarks' high standard of care for its customers and its success as a business.