66% of goods from web marketplace are unsafe

TWO-THIRDS of products bought from online marketplaces were found to be unsafe in tests.

Which? research showed that every smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, teeth whitening kit and cycle helmet failed to meet basic safety standards.

They were among 66 per cent of 250 items bought via third-party sellers from Amazon, Ebay, AliExpress and Wish that did not comply with EU regulations.

Other goods included Christmas lights that gave an electric shock, children’s clothes that were a choking hazard and chargers that could have caused a fire.

Some products were unsafe because they contained harmful substances, were of inferior design or came with unclear instructions.

Only two of the 21 baby toys and one of the 12 travel plugs examined passed safety standards.

Which? said the shocking findings proved greater regulation was needed for online marketplaces, which currently are not responsible for the safety of products sold through their sites.

Each time it discovered an item was faulty, it alerted the online retailer and the product was quickly withdrawn from sale. However, in some instances, they soon reappeared again on the same site, Which? said.

Neena Bhati, head of campaigns at Which?, said: ‘Online marketplaces have quickly become a popular way for people to shop online and yet Which? testing has repeatedly exposed how large numbers of dangerous products are sold on these sites every day.

These platforms have failed to get a grip on this despite years of warnings, and so the Government must now step in.’

The research was carried out last year by Which? and several of its European partners.

In response, Amazon said safety was its ‘top priority’, adding that it requires all goods to meet a ‘high bar’ for quality as well as complying with applicable laws and regulations – and has the power to remove and take legal action against those that do not.

Ebay said the products identified in the survey had been removed and enforcement action taken against the sellers.

AliExpress said it ‘worked relentlessly’ to ensure consumers were protected, while Wish said merchants on its site must adhere to local laws and safety standards.