An investigation by Which? has revealed that sellers on marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay can easily list dangerous and illegal products.

The consumer champion stated that these sites are failing to protect the millions of shoppers who use their platforms.

Additionally, it emphasised the importance of the government using the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to give online marketplaces more legal responsibility for preventing unsafe products from being sold on their platforms.

As part of the investigation, Which? researchers signed up as sellers on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and TikTok Shop. They successfully listed an illegal heater that Which? had reported to three of the online marketplaces earlier this year. This heater is identical to one officially recalled by authorities due to serious safety issues.

After no action was taken to remove the item, Which? took steps to make the product more easily identifiable by the platforms. Except for Amazon, which removed the heater, researchers edited the listing to include the same barcode, product description, and all the risks outlined in the OPSS Product Safety report– a document explaining why the product was deemed unsafe by the regulator and needed to be recalled.

Most of the online platforms did not remove the item or only delisted the heater after Which? had formally flagged it as unsafe.

Which? believes online marketplaces are failing to implement adequate measures to prevent dangerous products from being sold to consumers on their platforms, even those clearly identified as unsafe. As a result, online marketplaces could be putting lives at risk.

Retail Systems has reached out to Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and TikTok Shop for comment.

“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,” said Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy. “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 from being sold.

“New laws must be robustly enforced by a regulator that has the ability to issue heavy fines.”

---