Shocking Christmas! 90% of budget electrical products may not meet safety standards
Brits could be in for a shocking surprise this Christmas – as experts warn as many as nine in 10 budget electrical products from online marketplaces may not meet safety standards when tested.
Advocates from Electrical Safety First said the cost-of-living crisis, lack of safety regulations and growing numbers of unsafe, possibly cheap or imported items for sale are creating a ‘perfect storm’ for danger.
Research of 2,000 adults also found one in 10 have been shocked or seen sparks that could start a house fire from an electrical item they have bought online.
And 73 per cent are unaware online marketplaces are not required to ensure the safety of electrical products they list for sale.
Most recent figures reported by ESF in 2019, following testing of 15 random electrical items sourced online, found 93 per cent didn’t meet essential UK-based safety criteria and could not be awarded the appropriate certification.
Says Lesley Rudd, chief executive:
“This Christmas could see a perfect storm hit Britain’s hard-up festive shoppers as our attempts to save money could leave us vulnerable to dangerous goods.
“Sales of electrical products through online marketplaces has grown significantly since 2019. All of these enter the UK market untested from suppliers who are not checked by the marketplace operators.
“The best gift the Government could give consumers this holiday season is ensuring the safety of online marketplaces so that their Christmas doesn’t go up in smoke.”
The research also found one in three Brits never check the safety credentials of electrical products before buying.
The main reasons for failing to look for certification labels or testing to standards are due to trust in the seller and having no concerns about the product. But 39 per cent admit they would have no idea what they were looking for.
In fact, safety is only an important factor for 50 per cent of respondents when buying electrical goods – behind energy efficiency (51 per cent) and price (75 per cent). However, since learning that some sellers on online marketplaces aren’t bound to traditional safety laws, 27 per cent will be more careful to look into safety credentials before making a purchase.
And 14 per cent will go as far as avoiding buying any electrical goods from online retailers and dodge the risk entirely. For advice on avoiding dangerous electrical products, go to the ‘Don’t be Electricked’ site here.
Three key safety marks to look out for when purchasing electrical products
- The UK Conformity Assessed mark (UKCA)
- CE marking (Northern Ireland only)
- BSI Kitemark
