Associate feature: Don't be Electricked

‘If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.’ 

This adage has never been more relevant as unsafe products flood online marketplaces. With millions of UK consumers flocking to platforms like Amazon and eBay each month – especially as the cost-of-living continues to bite – these online giants are here to stay. With Christmas fast approaching, shoppers must be aware of the risks. The UK Government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, designed to modernise product safety laws, offers a chance to fix the system. By holding online marketplaces to the same standards as high street retailers and closing dangerous loopholes. Electrical Safety First has long championed these reforms, but policymakers, businesses, and consumer bodies must unite to protect against these hidden dangers.

Online marketplaces are attractive alternatives to the high street, sometimes offering better prices or convenience. However, they are also breeding grounds for unsafe electrical products. Investigations by Electrical Safety First – the UK charity dedicated to reducing deaths and accidents caused by electricity – have repeatedly uncovered a shocking reality: products that fail to meet even basic safety standards are routinely bought and sold across major online platforms.

Many Scottish consumers may not realise that online marketplaces are not bound by the same safety rules as traditional high street retailers. Alarmingly, nearly half trust the safety of products sold on these platforms. This misplaced trust allows unscrupulous third-party sellers – often based overseas and beyond regulatory reach – to exploit the system, leaving shoppers vulnerable to substandard products without proper avenues for redress.

Adding to the problem, influencers increasingly promote products through platforms like TikTok, where algorithms prioritise preferences over safety. In one investigation, Electrical Safety First discovered a highly dangerous portable heater for sale on a major online marketplace. This heater exposed consumers to open elements carrying 240 volts – a deadly hazard.

The risks grow as colder months set in, and energy costs remain high. With over a quarter of households in Scotland behind on their energy bills, many are turning to “heat the room, not the house” strategies. Dangerous products like these heaters, promoted as affordable solutions, find their way into homes all too easily. But popularity is not a substitute for safety.

Scotland already has the highest percentage of accidental electrical house fires in the UK, with the annual economic cost reaching £333 million. Beyond the financial toll, each fire represents a household devastated by loss – homes destroyed, lives disrupted, and loved ones injured or killed.

The threat of unsafe products adds yet another layer of risk, particularly for vulnerable groups such as older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income households. These people are more likely to rely on home deliveries and may lack the resources or knowledge to avoid unknowingly buying a faulty or unsafe product. For example, a pensioner struggling with heating costs might unwittingly purchase a hazardous heater, or a family on a tight budget might buy a cheaper, unbranded charger, risking their safety.

During this cost-of-living crisis, dangerous online purchases put Scottish consumers at unprecedented risk. Consumer Scotland is uniquely positioned to lead a nationwide investigation into these harms. While consumer education is critical, regulatory action is needed.

Policymakers must act now to close these gaps by strengthening the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which is currently making its way through Westminster. With input from voices like Electrical Safety First, we can shape solutions to protect consumers and hold online marketplaces accountable.

Let’s work together to ensure robust consumer protections across the UK.

This article is sponsored by Electrical Safety First.

www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/dontbeelectricked/