Public safety concerns mount as bargain-hunting shoppers drawn to dangerous fakes online…
A surge in counterfeit products sold through online marketplaces is putting consumers at risk and raising fresh questions about accountability across the retail supply chain, a BBC investigation has found.
The Corporation said it had been shown alarming examples of fake products circulating online, including cosmetics and toys that pose potential health hazards.
“Cosmetics and perfume, when we had some tested, have had horse urine in them so you don’t want to be putting that on your skin,” said Helen Barnham, head of enforcement campaigns at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
Other examples of seized goods include fake Labubus with detachable eyes that could be a choking hazard and a Super Mario toy that contained dangerous chemicals in a suction cup designed to be licked and stuck to a window.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the issue highlights the need for stronger accountability across the entire retail supply chain.
Inga Becker-Hansen, product safety policy adviser at the British Retail Consortium, said: “The responsibility for consumer safety sits with the whole supply chain – from manufacturers and importers through to online marketplaces. We hope ongoing consultations on product safety will strengthen accountability for all parties, and help to ensure unsafe or fake goods do not reach UK consumers.”
Research from the IPO suggests a quarter of shoppers have knowingly purchased counterfeit goods, with clothing, footwear and accessories among the most common categories.
Alongside the rise in counterfeits, consumer groups have long warned that unsafe, poor-quality products, which often bypass standard retail safety checks, are also being sold on online marketplaces to deal-seeking shoppers.
Testing by The Ladder Association found every extendable telescopic ladder it bought online failed safety checks, with some snapping catastrophically under pressure.
The Government is now planning legislation to align the responsibilities of online marketplaces with those of High Street retailers.