Unsafe Baby Products Persist on Amazon and TikTok, Consumer Group Finds
A consumer advocacy organisation has uncovered that numerous baby products, despite being flagged with safety notices, continue to be sold on prominent online platforms. The investigation identified 20 products that failed to meet UK safety standards still listed on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and TikTok Marketplace. These items included potentially hazardous baby pillows, sleeping bags, and feeders.
This persistent availability of unsafe goods follows a similar exposé in November 2023, which prompted commitments from several platforms to remove such listings. However, the latest findings indicate that these assurances have not been fully upheld, with many dangerous items resurfacing or new ones appearing.
The group found ten unsafe products on Amazon, five on eBay, three on Etsy, and two on TikTok Marketplace. Specifically, items like baby pillows, which pose a suffocation risk and are linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), were among those identified. A baby sleeping bag exceeding maximum tog ratings, which can lead to overheating, was also found.
A spokesperson for the consumer group criticised the marketplaces, stating that their voluntary commitments to safety are proving insufficient. The organisation is advocating for legislative reforms, calling on the UK Government to introduce new regulations that would legally oblige online marketplaces to take greater responsibility for the safety of products sold via their platforms. Without such statutory duties, the cycle of hazardous goods appearing online is likely to continue, leaving consumers at risk.
