LONDON, UK – Consumer group Which? has sounded the alarm on the sale of unsafe electric heaters on online marketplaces such as TikTok and Temu.
Upon purchasing and testing eight heaters from these platforms, Which? discovered that six of them were deemed unsafe, posing threats such as electric shocks, explosions, and fire hazards. The watchdog found that these hazardous products were being promoted and sold on TikTok and Temu, with some sellers listing thousands of sales for these dangerous heaters.
According to Which?, some of the electric heaters purchased from TikTok and Temu had not been properly assembled, making live parts easily accessible and posing a risk of electric shock. Additionally, the testing revealed that only one out of the eight heaters tested was both safe to use and legal for sale in the UK.
Both TikTok and Temu have since removed the hazardous heaters from their platforms, but Which? noted that similar listings have resurfaced in their place. The consumer group is calling for online marketplaces to take greater legal responsibility for ensuring the safety of the products sold to consumers through their platforms.
In response to the findings, Temu stated that the identified safety hazards had been promptly removed from their platform, expressing regret for any inconvenience caused. TikTok also emphasized its commitment to removing merchants or products that violate their policies.
Which? is urging the government to grant online marketplaces greater legal responsibility for unsafe products, emphasizing the importance of preventing dangerous products from entering people’s homes. The Department for Business and Trade has also stressed the responsibility of manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the safety of products placed on the market.
This call for heightened legal responsibility for online marketplaces underscores the significance of consumer safety and the need for stricter regulations to protect consumers from purchasing unsafe or illegal products. The findings from Which? serve as a poignant reminder of the potential risks associated with purchasing products from online marketplaces, highlighting the importance of vigilance and regulation in the e-commerce space.