Warning Issued for Fire Hazard Associated with Money-Saving Gadgets on E-commerce Platforms
Online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Shein, and Temu have been flagged for selling potentially dangerous and illegal ‘eco plugs’, claiming to save users money on their electricity bills. Despite numerous government recalls and investigative reports revealing the ineffectiveness of these energy-saving devices, they continue to be widely available for purchase.
The so-called eco plugs purport to cut electricity costs by adjusting voltage and balancing current to optimize the performance of household appliances. However, recent testing by Which? on eight such devices bought from various online platforms revealed that they failed to meet basic electrical safety standards, posing serious risks of fire and electric shock.
Although Which? notified the platforms about the unsafe listings, many identical devices remained available for weeks after. A similar situation occurred in 2022 when Amazon and eBay had to remove near-identical devices following reports from researchers. The Office for Product Safety and Standards also officially recalled four similar products from AliExpress, eBay, and Wish due to the potential fire and electric shock hazards they posed.
Consumer reviews of these eco plugs further solidified concerns regarding their safety. A buyer who left a review on Amazon labelled the device as a “scam” and criticized the company for marketing such hazardous items. Another review warned that using the plugs could potentially lead to a house fire, highlighting the gravity of the risks associated with these products.
Analysis conducted by Which? on the devices revealed poor quality soldering, excessive lead content, and non-standard capacitors, indicating that they were not manufactured to UK safety standards. Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, expressed deep concern over the continuous availability of these dangerous products on online marketplaces, emphasizing the urgent need for stricter regulations to hold platforms accountable for selling such items.
In response to these findings, Amazon, eBay, Shein, and AliExpress all expressed their commitment to customer safety and claimed to have removed the identified products from their platforms. eBay, for instance, highlighted its proactive approach to safety, which includes audits of seller compliance documentation and the use of algorithms to detect and remove unsafe listings promptly.
Shein reiterated its dedication to product safety and assured customers that any reported claims would result in the immediate removal of the items from their site pending investigation. AliExpress similarly emphasised its rigorous safety policies for third-party sellers and confirmed the removal of flagged products following Which?’s testing.
Temu, another implicated platform, stated that they had already taken measures to remove the problematic product before being notified. However, TikTok did not provide a comment for publication, leaving questions about their oversight of potentially hazardous products on the platform.
The prevalence of these dangerous eco plugs on popular e-commerce sites underscores the need for comprehensive regulation to protect consumers from such risks. With growing concerns over online product safety, calls for stricter enforcement and accountability mechanisms for online marketplaces are becoming increasingly urgent to ensure the well-being of consumers.
Overall, this investigation serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking within seemingly innocuous products available for purchase online, urging both regulators and consumers to remain vigilant and prioritize safety when making purchasing decisions in the digital age.