Following the announcement today from the European Commission that four major online marketplaces have signed a new ‘Product Safety Pledge’, ensuring dangerous products are removed from their websites within days of notifications, Electrical Safety First commented:
“Electrical Safety First has been actively lobbying the EU Commission to strengthen consumer protection specific to online marketplaces. We welcome the Product Safety Pledge, following our dedicated work into protecting consumers, and are pleased to see a clear time limit introduced in which these websites must remove dangerous goods.
Our recent campaign into counterfeits sold on Amazon, eBay & Fruugo highlighted the real issues facing consumers and the need for more to be done by these sites to protect those who use them. We do however; wish to see more done in the near future to strengthen policy surrounding the counterfeit marketplace; these include:
- Improved monitoring of supply chains to truly understand the cost of the counterfeit market to the EU
- Greater legal responsibilities for online vendors – these websites must inform consumers if they have purchased a counterfeit good
- Increased support for enforcement – acting as the front line in the war against counterfeits these bodies must be resourced adequately.
- Intelligence sharing – only by working together can online marketplaces tackle the issue of those selling counterfeit goods on their site
- A greater focus on electrical goods – all counterfeits must be tackled however the dangers posed by counterfeit electrical goods carries with it a far greater risk to life
We will continue to lobby the Government here in the UK as well as the EU Commission to both improve and strengthen consumer protection surrounding electrical goods and to heighten the pressure on e-commerce sites to take necessary action.”
For more information please contact:
Sophia Alipour T: 07866 702069 E: sophia.alipour@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
Joshua Drew T: 07864 009875 E: joshua.drew@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk