Shoppers to blame for Amazon not stating country of origin

I’ve just entered my eighth decade and thought there was little left in this world that could surprise me. But I was stunned to read in Issue 681 (page 7) that Amazon doesn’t have to state the country of origin when listing products. I admit that I’ve never looked for this information when shopping on the site, but that’s only because I buy from big-name brands who I trust.

In the current climate I can understand why Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that listing items made in China was a priority. I would include Russia also, though I doubt many items are made there. But regardless of the countries, how has Amazon and other websites got away with this? It’s outrageous that they can bypass the law while all high-street shops have to check their products state the country of origin.

It sounds like regulators have been too soft on the likes of Amazon, but we consumers should take some of the blame also. We’re happy to accept ever-cheaper prices on Amazon without fully appreciating any of the consequences. If we really cared that much about where a product is made, we would have pressurised Amazon into adding this information.

Threats of a boycott would have made them listen, but apart from the occasional petition or MPS sporadically raising concerns, this subject has barely been brought up in the 20-odd years that Amazon has been dominant. How tragic it would be if it took a life-threatening cyber-attack or, worse, military conflict to bring this issue to the attention of more people.

Phil O’driscoll

CA SAYS We received many emails from readers who are angry that Amazon and other leading online retailers don’t say where a product is made. There are ways to check this for yourself, as some readers have discovered

– see ‘Tip of the Fortnight’ on page 40.