ABSTRACT: Product safety refers to the production, distribution, and sale of products that from various perspectives are either potentially unsafe or inherently unsafe to consumer use. In order to make sure that the product which consumer is buying is safe, there should be some safety standards. These standards are normally designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes etc.
The Indian kidswear market is going to see the tremendous growth. It is important to note that no regulations for kidswear safety are in place in India whereas in developed nation there is legislative control on Kidswear merchandise.
The main aim of this study is to find out the necessity of safety regulations for Indian market from the retailers’ point of view. For the study, 110 retailers were selected through stratified random sampling from Bengaluru, India and information was collected with the help of structured and well-designed questionnaire.
The study concludes that, as per Indian retailers all the kidswear in India are not and therefore parents are vigilant while purchasing the same. Most of the retailers also agree that parents do discuss about the safety-related issue with them. Indian retailers are in favor of having standard regulations for the kidswear for Indian market.
Key Words: Kidswear, Safe Child, Safety regulation, Indian Retail, Accidental Injury
Conclusion
The primary goal of any business is to maintain excellent performance to make sure steady growth. The same rule is applicable to the retail industry as well. In order
to ensure this excellent performance and distinguish from its competitors, retailer always needs to maintain the quality of its relationship and product with customers.
Whatever the product is, it is vital to make sure it is safe. It is important to make sure that products must be safe and contain no hazardous substances is essential in order to bring them into a supply chain or the marketplace.
From the research study it is clear that as per Indian retailers all the kidswear in India are not safe and there are garments which have potential to harm the children
and therefore parents are vigilant while purchasing the same probably they might have experienced the unsafe garments. Most of the retailers also agree that parents do
discuss about the safety-related issue with them. Indian Retailers are aware about the kidswear safety regulation implemented by developed nations and few of them are
already aware about the recall of unsafe garments from the market. Indian retailers are in favor of having standard regulations for the kidswear for Indian market.
Looking at booming Indian market, it is high time that Indian authorities should initiate and work for the development of kidswear safety norms. It is important
to identify and reject the unsafe kid garments which may irrational and cause harm to children.
Scope for Future Study
There can’t be a second opinion on the importance of safety of children as they are vulnerable. The present study focused only on the necessity of Safe Apparel
for children. But children are not surrounded by apparels only, but children are always in contact with other products as well like toys, instruments, foods, etc. It is
very important to study the safety aspects and necessity of all the products used by children.
Discussion
It is found that all the kidswear in India are not safe and the research also proves that children are getting injured because of unsafe garments and majority of
stakeholders wants India to have its set of kidswear safety regulations. It is right time that the government should set rules and regulations for kidswear safety in India and should work for successful implementation of it in the country. At the time of making kidswear safety norms government should bring all stakeholders, testing labs, NGOs, etc. under single roof. References can also be taken from established international kidswear safety regulations.
