China-made sets

[CisFran]

I was browsing Lego sets being sold at the local grocery shop and noted that they put in the tags where the lego sets were made.

Though the boxes indicated that parts are made in different countries, I don't know if the whole sets were produced in a specific country or just parts of it..

Made in China - Technic

Made in Denmark - Starwars

Made in China - LOTR

The WinterVillage Cottage is Made in Mexico as indicated on the tags

[antp]

For power functions sets, all the electronic/motor stuff is made in China I suppose. But not the whole set.

I suppose that for LOTR some specific licence parts are made in China, as well as minidolls from the Friends sets. I think that it was concluded previously that the parts coming in their own small separate plastic bags were made in China.

[AmperZand]

In the UK, retailers only have to tell you where something is made/produced if asked. In practice, almost all products indicate where they are from. In the case of LEGO, the box/packet lists all the countries the contents are from but not in detail which elements are from which country. The law may be different in Switzerland.

[WaysofSorting]

Yes, I think it's just dependent on local law...but as AmperZand points out - almost everyone/everything just indicates. As a kid I recall checking out all my action figures to see if they were made in Hong Kong or wherever.

I do wonder how LEGO makes the sets - if it's ALL Starwars in Denmark, All LOTR in China, etc. I know in the Guitar-world, identical models and year of guitars are highly sought over if they are produced in certain countries over another, due to slight variations in quality. Maybe it will be this way for LEGO eventually. Even if standards are rigorous, there's bound to be some variation over time, I would imagine.

Also will be seen in the "black market" for LEGO - where certain parts emerge in bulk from one country or another to be trafficked by the resellers.

[1974]

Most sets are actaully made in Denmark (and Hungary). It's specific parts that are made in China, like CMF parts. Packaging/boxing is done in several countries

Check Wikipedia :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego

Edit : There's is a HUGE variation in the quality of TLG's bricks. In general, it went downhill when they went from precoloured pellets to injecting dye. I bought +300 sets from the last couple of years and the quality is rather poor, yellow especially. But the new greys and white are also pretty off, imo. And the precision is also worse (wornout moulding forms?)

I've resorted to only to buy used/NOS bricks and older (MISB) sets unless I _really_ like the new offerings

Sad, but true

Edited October 25, 2013 by 1974

[lightningtiger]

I believe that electronics for Lego is made like most other electronic products.....in China.