The five checks.
Most things we look at don't make it. Here's what a product has to get through before it gets a number.
- A real problem. It starts with a problem parents actually have, in their words. If we can't write the problem in one plain sentence, there's no product.
- The best version we can find. We compare the options side by side: materials, how it's made, how it's finished, whether it survives a toddler. Then we pick the one that's made properly, not the one with the biggest margin.
- The paperwork. We ask the maker for the safety standard that applies (the table below), plus test reports from an accredited lab. No certificate, no launch. The standard is named on every product page, and you can ask us for the test report.
- The honest bits. We write down what it won't do and how to use it safely, using guidance from UK safety charities and the NHS. If that section can't be written honestly, the product goes.
- Real parents. Our Tester Panel uses it for 60 nights. Their reviews are published, labelled "Tester", whatever they say.
The paperwork, by product.
These are the standards we require by type of product. Each product page shows the one that applies.
| Type of product | What we ask for | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Toys, and anything a baby plays with or chews | EN 71 parts 1–3 (physical, flammability, chemical) and UKCA or CE marking | No. 006 No. 019 No. 021 No. 033 No. 034 No. 035 |
| Cups and straws | EN 14350 (drinking equipment) | No. 013 No. 055 |
| Plates, bowls, bibs and snack pots | EN 14372 (feeding utensils) and a food-contact declaration | No. 010 No. 011 No. 012 No. 045 No. 055 |
| Sleep bags | EN 16781 (children's sleep bags) | No. 003 No. 004 |
| Reins and harnesses | EN 13210 (child harnesses and reins) | No. 029 |
| Anything with a plug or battery | UKCA or CE marking, electrical and battery test reports; button batteries behind a screwed-shut cover | No. 001 No. 002 No. 009 No. 022 No. 033 No. 054 |
| Fabrics against skin | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 or an equivalent chemical test | No. 003 No. 014 No. 015 No. 032 No. 047 |
| Everything else | A product safety risk assessment and test report under the UK General Product Safety Regulations | No. 005 No. 007 No. 018 No. 020 No. 023 No. 024 |
Test reports
Ask us for the test report of any product: hello@calmobaby.com
The Won't-Sell List.
Some baby products sell very well. These ones we won't stock, whatever the demand, because UK safety charities and health bodies advise against them.
Amber teething necklaces
Anything worn round a baby's neck is a strangulation and choking risk, and there's no good evidence they help. The NHS and the UK medicines regulator have both warned against them.
Plug socket covers
UK sockets already have built-in shutters. Many covers don't fit properly and can even open the shutters. UK safety campaigners have asked people not to use them.
Bottle props and self-feeding pillows
Propping a bottle means nobody is holding the baby while they feed. That's a choking risk, and the NHS advises against it.
Cot bumpers, sleep positioners and wedges
The Lullaby Trust advises a clear, flat, firm cot with nothing else in it. So we don't sell anything that goes in one.
Weighted sleep bags and blankets for babies
Safe-sleep experts advise against putting weighted products on babies. We agree.
Inclined sleepers and nests for sleep
Babies should sleep flat on their back. Inclined sleepers have been withdrawn and recalled around the world.
Dummy clips and chains
The NHS advises not to tie or clip a dummy to your baby's clothes, because of the risk of strangulation. Plenty of shops sell them. We don't.
Covers and blankets draped over prams
Covering a pram traps heat and stops air moving. A parasol or a pram with a good hood does the job.
How we sell.
UK law has got much tougher on fake reviews and misleading prices. We'd follow these rules anyway.
- One price. No "was £59.95, now £24.95" when it was never £59.95. No permanent sale.
- No fake urgency. No countdown clocks, no "only 3 left" unless there really are only three left.
- No invented numbers. We don't claim thousands of happy customers. When we have real numbers, we'll show real numbers.
- Real reviews only. Verified buyers, all star ratings, never edited. How we handle reviews.
- Honest pictures. Our photos show the real product. No AI images passed off as real.
- No medical claims. Our products make everyday things easier. If something's wrong with your baby's health, the right call is NHS 111 or your GP.
Recalls & safety concerns.
If you think something about a product isn't safe, stop using it and email safety@calmobaby.com. Safety emails go to the front of the queue and get a same-day reply on working days.
If a product is ever recalled, we'll email every buyer as soon as we know, take it off sale, and give you a full refund, used or not.
In an emergency
If your child has swallowed a button battery or a magnet, go to A&E straight away. For anything urgent, call 999. For advice, call NHS 111.
Who we listen to.
Our honest bits and our Won't-Sell List follow advice from these organisations. We're a shop, not experts, so we go to the people who are.
- The Lullaby Trust: safer sleep for babies.
- NHS and NHS Best Start in Life: health, feeding and development.
- RoSPA and CAPT: accident prevention at home and on the road.
- The Office for Product Safety and Standards: UK product safety rules and recalls.