Outcry over sale of dud gas alarms that could prove fatal
A WATCHDOG has attacked online retail giants Amazon and eBay after faulty carbon monoxide alarms were sold via their sites.
Four alarms bought from the two sites and tested by Which? failed to sound when the gas was present in the air, making them potentially lethal in the event of a carbon monoxide build-up in the home.
All four alarms, which claimed to meet the British safety standard for detecting carbon monoxide, have now been removed from sale.
However, Alex Neill from Which? said: “It’s extremely concerning these unsafe alarms were being sold by major retailers.
“Anyone who has one should replace it straight away.
“When household names such as Amazon and eBay are selling products that could put consumers at risk, it is clear more must be done by businesses and the Government to proactively identify potentially dangerous products and stop them from entering people’s homes.”
One of the alarms – the Topolek GEHS007AW CO alarm costing £14.99 and listed as a bestseller on Amazon – failed to detect the gas in more than 80 per cent of tests conducted by the watchdog.
Three other unbranded alarms, which were made in China and sold through sellers on Amazon and eBay for less than £10, also repeatedly failed to sound when there was carbon monoxide in the air.
Which? said the alarms appeared identical to some it had tested in 2016, which also did not sound when the gas was present.
The watchdog said Amazon and eBay had “de-listed” a further 50 alarms they believed to be identical to the three unbranded alarms.
Which? said its investigation had exposed flaws in the UK’s current product safety system. It has called on the Office For Product Safety And Standards to take a “more active role” in market surveillance to identify products on sale that pose a potential safety risk.
The consumer group said anyone who owns one of the alarms should replace it immediately and contact the seller for a full refund.
An eBay spokeswoman said: “The items flagged by Which? did not comply with the required UK regulations and were removed.
“We are working with sellers to ensure customers are aware they have been removed from the site.”
An Amazon spokesman said: “All sellers must follow selling guidelines. Those who don’t will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account. The products are no longer available.”