- Thirteen devices bought from major online marketplaces failed basic safety tests, with none capable of delivering the savings claimed
- Charity warns rising energy bills could drive households towards dangerous ‘energy-saving devices’
- Two of the devices tested ‘exploded’ during a lab test
- Unsafe products continue to be sold online despite marketplaces claiming that customer safety is “a priority”
- Charity calls for online marketplaces to be held legally responsible for the safety of products sold by third-party sellers
Shoppers are being targeted by dangerous scam ‘energy-saving devices’ that promise to cut bills, as households battle spiralling energy costs.
A new investigation by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First found that all 13 devices it purchased from three major online marketplaces – AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop – failed basic safety tests.
The devices were marketed with claims they could reduce electricity consumption and save consumers money on their energy bills. However, none contained components capable of delivering the energy savings claimed by sellers – and will actually cost users money to run.
Worryingly, information on the product listings suggests tens of thousands of devices may have been sold to UK shoppers, despite reviews from some buyers warning that the products were a “complete scam”, “a genuine fire hazard” and “a plastic box with wires stuck in”.
Four ‘energy-saving devices’ were recalled in 2022 after being found to pose a serious risk of electric shock and fire, resulting in the online marketplaces in question removing the specific listings. Yet, four years on, near-identical devices are still being sold on these platforms, putting consumers lives’ at risk.
The warning comes as energy bills are set to hit a three-year high, with the price cap to increase by 4% on 1 October, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East pushes up wholesale energy prices. Forecasts suggest households could face a further increase in the New Year.
Electric shock instead of energy saving
Electrical Safety First purchased 13 so-called "energy-saving devices" from three major online marketplaces – AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop.
The devices claim to save electricity and reduce energy bills by stabilising the voltage in a home simply by plugging them into a socket.
However, testing by Electrical Safety First found that rather than saving consumers money, these devices could put them at risk of electric shock and in some cases, fire.
The plug pins on all 13 devices failed to meet the required dimensional and mechanical strength requirements.
This means that the plug pins could snap under force and break off inside a socket, leaving anyone who tries to remove the broken pin at serious risk of electric shock.
An internal inspection also found that all of the devices inspected contained little more than a small circuit board, which in most cases simply powered an LED on the front of the device. Rather than saving consumers money, the LED would actually use electricity, meaning the devices will cost users more to run.
Some devices contained what appeared to be a capacitor or filter. However, inspection found that these were fake and were not connected to the circuit. Instead, they were simply plastic boxes with nothing inside.
Some devices also had no fuse or other suitable protection inside, which could increase the risk of fire and electric shock. Others contained a glass fuse in the mains circuit, which does not meet safety requirements and could shatter, risking a fire if there is a fault and put users at serious risk of electric shock.
“Unscrupulous third-party sellers on online marketplaces are exploiting the financial pressures facing households, promoting bogus products that prey on people’s understandable desire to save money on their energy bills. At a time when household budgets are already being squeezed, consumers should be able to trust that products being sold to them are safe and do what they claim,” Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said. “But our investigation exposes these so-called energy-saving devices for what they really are: worthless products that deliver no savings while potentially putting people at serious risk of electric shock or fire.
“Online marketplaces must take greater responsibility for the products they allow to be sold on their platforms. Claims of commitment to consumer safety ring hollow while hazardous products remain available at the click of a button. Consumers facing rising energy costs should not be exposed to unnecessary risks by sellers exploiting their financial pressures."
Further fire risks revealed
All devices were subjected to further examination and testing in an external specialist laboratory. Testing found that none of the devices met the required safety standards and many of them did not have the right components or protective devices needed in order for them to fail safely and not cause further damage in the event of a fault. These issues all contributed to an increased risk of fire.
Two of the devices put through a short circuit test also effectively exploded during testing. Video footage captured during this testing shows how devastating these products could be in people’s homes. During a test designed to demonstrate how the products should safely handle a fault, one exploded violently, hurling fragments of hot, glowing metal into the air.
The failure shows just how dangerous it can be to plug unsafe electrical products into your home. A fault could spark a fire in seconds, particularly if the product is near curtains, furniture or other flammable materials.
Electrical Safety First says products that cannot safely handle faults have no place being on sale – particularly when they are marketed as a quick and easy way to cut energy bills but could instead have serious consequences for people and their homes.
A problem at scale
Electrical Safety First regularly uncovers dangerous products being sold on major online marketplaces, showing this is far from a one-off issue, despite platforms claiming that customer safety is “a priority”.
The charity previously worked with technology consultancy Talan on wider research into online marketplaces earlier this year, which suggests that the problem of dangerous electrical products is rife.
Using information already available in product listings, including voltage ratings, socket configurations and product imagery, the research analysed around 24,000 electrical product listings across major online marketplaces.
The research found 1 in 18 showed indicators of likely non-compliance, potentially amounting to hundreds of thousands of non-compliant listings. But the charity warns that this figure could be much higher, as where there was not sufficient technical detail to determine whether a product was potentially unsafe, listings were counted as compliant rather than non-compliant.
In July, the charity investigated dangerous travel adaptors found for sale on major online marketplaces. All 14 devices purchased failed basic safety tests, with the worst offenders posing a risk of serious electric shock or, in the most severe cases, electrocution.
Travel adaptors were also found to have the highest rate of likely non-compliance in the wider research, with more than 1 in 3 showing indicators of likely non-compliance.
In May last year, the charity also found an e-bike battery linked to multiple serious fires being sold online, despite the battery having been subject to a Government withdrawal notice.
Time for change
The findings come as the Government considers new legal duties requiring online marketplaces to prevent unsafe products from being listed on their platforms, backed by strong enforcement powers and penalties for those that fail to comply.
Despite online marketplaces repeatedly claiming that customer safety is a priority, dangerous products continue to be sold by third-party sellers. Currently, online marketplaces are not legally recognised as part of the traditional supply chain, meaning they have no direct responsibility for ensuring products sold on their platforms are safe.
Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: “Shopping through online marketplaces in the UK is currently far too dangerous. Time and time again, our investigations uncover dangerous products being sold on these platforms, despite their claims that customer safety is a priority. The reality is that these promises are worth little when dangerous goods can still be freely bought by unsuspecting consumers.
“The Government’s response to its consultation on product safety legislation is a crucial opportunity to finally hold online marketplaces to account. We need bold and robust, legally enforceable measures that make platforms responsible for the safety of products sold on their sites. Without urgent action, dangerous products will continue to put consumers’ lives at risk.”
Right of replies
According to TikTok. Please note TikTok request that the below is on background only and state that it cannot be directly quoted but can be paraphrased and used as "according to TikTok".
Action taken
- The products flagged in this investigation have been removed from TikTok Shop and we have notified customers who purchased these with safety guidance.
Our policies
- TikTok Shop has policies and processes to protect customers and promote a trustworthy shopping experience. This includes policies on what can and can't be sold, seller registration and verification requirements, and features like product reviews, reporting tools, and easy returns.
- The TikTok Shop Product Safety & Recall Policy covers product safety concerns flagged by users and regulatory government bodies in the UK and in other countries.
- We frequently engage with organisations including the Office of Product Safety and the Standards and Trading Standards Institute around product safety.
Attributed to AliExpress:
"Product safety is our top priority at AliExpress. We have removed the five listings identified by Electrical Safety First and are contacting affected customers to initiate a recall through our established channels. We are also reviewing the broader category for enhanced controls.
"We welcome detailed findings like these and remain committed to ensuring a safe online shopping environment."
On background, attributable to Amazon:
- These products have been removed.
- We do not allow the sale of these products, please see more in our Seller Guidelines here.