UK Consumer Group Warns of Dangerous Travel Adaptors Sold Online
Electrical Safety First urges caution with plug adaptors, citing fire risks and lack of safety features on products sold through major online marketplaces.
Consumer group Electrical Safety First (ESF) is advising travelers to exercise caution when purchasing travel adaptors, particularly those sold online, due to significant safety concerns. The group has highlighted that some basic travel adaptors present fire safety risks, often lacking essential features like safety shutters, fuses, or adhering to correct UK plug dimensions.
Tests revealed that some adaptors were missing crucial safety shutters, designed to prevent users from touching live internal parts. Others had oversized pin holes or lacked fuses altogether. The Office for Product Safety and Standards has previously issued alerts for similar products, including recalls for adaptors lacking safety shutters and rejections of imports deemed a serious fire risk due to non-compliance with UK plug standards.
Reviews from online marketplaces have also raised alarms. One Amazon Marketplace user reported a device falling apart during use, stating they could have been electrocuted. An AliExpress review claimed a universal travel adaptor exploded while in use. In response to these issues, Amazon has stated that all products offered must comply with applicable laws and policies, and that identified products have been removed from sale. AliExpress has removed flagged products and is initiating recalls, while also reviewing listings that show all plug pins extended simultaneously, planning to restrict such items until corrected by sellers.
An eBay spokesperson noted that their platform employs technology, AI-supported monitoring, and specialist teams to prevent potentially unsafe items from being listed. TikTok stated that 99.5% of violative products are removed before listing.
Despite these assurances, ESF believes that online marketplaces should be held more accountable. "Shopping in the UK is currently far too dangerous," said a representative from ESF. "These platforms claim customer safety is a priority, yet our investigations show that, in reality, they perpetually fail to prevent dangerous goods being made freely available to the public." The group is calling for online marketplaces to be legally responsible for products sold on their sites to better protect consumers from hazardous electrical goods.
Consumer group Which? recently reported similar dangers found in phone chargers available online. "Badly designed electricals can have life-altering - even fatal - consequences," stated Sue Davies, head of consumer protection at Which?. "It's appalling that online marketplaces continue to fail to prevent dangerous products from reaching consumers, despite countless warnings."