Last week the Financial Times reported that senior British retail sources were warning that if delays dragged on, there was a possibility that some toys may not be available for consumers this Christmas.

"They are saying there is a four- or five-week delay on getting the products retested, " a senior director at a large UK toy retailer told the FT. "If it was an eight- or nine-week delay there would be a problem [with getting some toys on shelves in time for Christmas]."

However one Irish toy retailer insists that they have not had similar experiences to those being reported by some British toy stores.

James Byrne, of Byrne's World of Wonder says that although the Irish and UK market are classed together for world and shipping terms, only a very small range of products have been hit by delays.

"New regulations in China have delayed a small number of products alright. Some shipments have arrived here and been sent straight back but you are only talking about two or three items per ship.

The problems being reported in Britain would not be reflective of our experience. We only see it as a bit of hype, " he said.

Byrne also downplayed speculation that the bumper Christmas trade for toy retailers will be affected as most products for that market have already arrived.

"The shipments for Christmas would have started coming in last July and be finishing around now.

Unless something else goes wrong and fingers crossed it doesn't, Christmas is safe as far as we are concerned. We wouldn't see the impact of this as being overly negative, " he said.