Brits urged to avoid dangerous plug adaptors this summer - what to watch out for
Consumer safety group Electrical Safety First has warned travelers to avoid purchasing cheap travel adaptors from online marketplaces after finding that several models failed basic safety tests. The tested products posed significant risks of electric shock and fire.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing challenge of regulating product safety on global e-commerce platforms and the potential dangers to consumers.
Figure caption, Watch: Power adaptors fail fire resistance testing
Brits going on holiday abroad this summer have been warned to watch out for dangerous travel adaptors, after an investigation suggested thousands may be for sale online.
Consumer safety group Electrical Safety First (ESF) tested 14 products from AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace, eBay and TikTok Shop - and found they all failed to meet UK safety requirements.
It said in some instances the devices could expose users to risk of serious electric shock or electrocution.
AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and TikTok all said they had removed the products ESF flagged from sale, and that they treated product safety as a top priority.
But Giuseppe Capanna, ESF product safety engineer, urged those "heading abroad this summer to think before they buy".
"What looks like a bargain could come at a much higher cost," he warned.
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