Consumer group Which? has revealed serious shortcomings in the measures online marketplaces take to monitor the safety of the products listed on their platforms by posing as a seller of potentially dangerous and illegal electric heaters on Amazon, eBay, Etsy and TikTok Shop.
Which? went undercover to list the product, which appeared identical to one previously recalled due to serious safety concerns. It found there were no effective measures in place to prevent the heaters being listed on any of the platforms.
The dangerous heaters had previously been recalled from sale (image credit: Suffolk Trading Standards)
Amazon, eBay and Etsy removed the products from sale after Which? anonymously notified them of the risks they posed; TikTok Shop failed to take any action, only doing so when Which? formally approached them with the results of its investigation, nearly three months after the heaters were first listed.
The investigation coincides with the Government’s new Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which it is hoped will place greater responsibility on online marketplaces for the safety of products sold on their sites.
CTSI has long been calling for greater controls on online marketplaces; the Institute’s Chief Executive, John Herriman, said: “The findings released by Which? are another stark reminder that online marketplaces are not putting in place tight enough measures to ensure that dangerous products are kept off their platforms.
“CTSI has for many years highlighted concerns with Government departments that outdated product safety legislation means online marketplaces and other platforms have no legal obligation to ensure products supplied by third-party sellers through their platforms comply with legal requirements and are safe for consumers.
“The measures called for in our recent report ‘Mind the Gap Between the Chain and the Platform’ are the result of hours of evidence-gathering and input from businesses, regulators, enforcers, charities and other experts from a wide range of disciplines. The fact that they all share concerns about the state of play for online marketplaces and the levels of risk facing the public should be of real concern to the new Government.
“The release of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is a step in the right direction, but any new secondary legislation that is introduced must unquestionably place responsibility on the online marketplaces to ensure that the products sold on their platforms are safe. CTSI looks forward to working with the Office for Products Safety and Standards to ensure that any new measures are robust and fit for purpose in this modern day digital world.”
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, commented: “Our investigation shows how some of the largest and most popular online marketplaces are failing to prevent dangerous and illegal products being sold to consumers and are leaving them at risk of severe harm.
“Despite their assurances, it is clear that current measures taken by online marketplaces to detect and prevent unsafe products from appearing on their websites are not working and some of the platforms appear to be treating safety as an afterthought.
“The government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to place clear legal responsibilities on online marketplaces to prevent unsafe products being sold. New laws must be robustly enforced by a regulator that has the ability to issue heavy fines.”
