Counterfeit Dyson hairdryers with dodgy fuses, unsafe air-fryers and – inevitably – dangerous DIY converted electric bikes were among the thousands of products refused entry into the UK this year by Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Team at the port of Felixstowe, which handles almost half of all the UK’s container trade.
This year since January, 349,000 consumer goods were checked by the Trading Standards team and found to be non-compliant, failing safety tests. That figure included 104,983 electrical goods, 74,656 toys and 30,898 chargers and adaptors. Trading Standards confirmed to Cycling Industry News that unsafe DIY conversion kits for eBikes were stopped at Suffolk (although dwarfed in number by e-scooters at 8,965).
Trading Standards said it was “a frightening snapshot of the scale of the issues that we are facing from unsafe goods entering UK shores.”
It added: “Many of these dangerous products were destined for sale by third-party sellers on online marketplaces, which remains a common form of shopping amongst UK consumers due to the fast delivery and convenience of shopping from home. Many teams operate at Ports and Borders across the UK, and they provide a vital level of protection for product safety issues.”
The report is a timely one, coming as the cycling industry grapples not only with the presence of dangerous eBike chargers, batteries and conversion kits that fail safety tests and don’t meet standards arriving from disreputable vendors, but also the broader impact on the potential market, where safe e-Bike product that meets regulation and is sold from reputable retailers suffers reputationally from a perception that eBikes aren’t safe. The industry has responded with campaigns on the topic.
John Herriman, Chief Executive at CTSI, said: “We need more officers at ports and borders, and we need sustainable funding that makes a commitment for a minimum of 3 years.”
Clare Davies, Imports Team Leader for Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Team said: “The unsafe goods stopped at the border have all been detained and prevented from entering the UK and the online listings have been removed. Our safety advice is always check where the seller is based, especially when buying from an online selling platform. If the actual seller is not based in the UK, you may face heightened risks.”
Mark Gardiner, Joint Lead Officer for Product safety at CTSI, said: “Yet again, the work of Trading Standards at our ports demonstrates that such inspections are essential to keep consumers safe at Christmas, and throughout the year. Any one of these products could have caused injury, and despite this preventative action, there may still be unsafe products which are in circulation. I would urge everyone to be vigilant and if they have any suspicions about the safety of products that they have bought that they bring it to the attention of their local Trading Standards Service.”
Christine Heemskerk, Joint Lead Officer for Product safety at CTSI, said: “These findings show how important it is for consumers to be very cautious when shopping online for last minute Christmas gifts, especially via social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook. If the price is too good to be true then at best you will receive shoddy goods, or in the worst-case scenario suffer a serious injury or incident.”
The Government department responsible for product safety, The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) provides the funding for Trading Standards Officers to operate at the UK ports and borders, which provides a critical service of intercepting unsafe and non-compliant products from being on sale to consumers in the UK.
Post time: Dec-31-2024
