The OCU launches the alert: Aliexpress, Amazon and Ebay sell too many insecure products

Almudena Nogués Málaga

Dangerous toys, clothing garments with "real strangulation for children", loaders with electrical failures that can trigger a fire, jewelry parts with high concentrations of toxic or nickel cadmium that causes allergies...The list is long.And his conclusions, alarming.A study by consumer organizations from different European countries puts the focus on the dark side of the 'online' trade.Thus, as the OCU in Spain warns Monday, large electronic commerce stores, -Marketplaces as popular as Aliexpress, eBay, Amazon, Lighttinthebox or Wish- sell millions of products daily that do not respect the safety standards of the European Union,which implies a serious risk for users.

To make this report, from the OCU they explain that they have chosen the articles that have starred in the most European security alerts (the European fast alert system, where the different countries notify the problems with products that can entail safety risks).Their results are "overwhelming ·": 250 products bought, 66% do not meet the security standard that corresponds to them.Cutting elements, risks of suffocation or flammability are some of the most common failures, warn.

In total, consumers organizations have focused on 18 different categories, including toys and clothing for children, electronic devices, makeup...«We received them, they reviewed and then passed through the laboratory.The results are striking: 2 out of 3 do not gather total security guarantees », they underline.

"I had no idea how to teach art.My Students Taught Me How To Teach." - Elko Fan of the HMS School for Children With Cerebral Palsy

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Thus, of the 36 electronic devices (loaders, adapters, etc.) analyzed, 26 did not respect the security requirements or had a fire risk.In the case of toys the results are not more reassuring: of the 97 bought - mostly rubber, items for babies, bites, balloons or party makeup - there are numerous shortcomings: in 9 of 29 soft toys an amount was foundof phthalates that exceeded 200 times the legal limit.

Risk of strangulation for children

In addition, all smoke detectors or carbon monoxide (CO) had failures.14 of the 16 child clothing garments did not respect the safety standards in terms of ties, laces, tapes etc, involving "real strangulation risks for children," according to the OCU.

More than half of the 39 cosmetics bought online did not have the mandatory ingredient list while the dental whitening kits presented "concentrations of hydrogen peroxide well above the legal limits".Likewise, in many pieces of jewelry high concentrations of toxic or nickel cadmium that causes allergies were detected.

«The 'marketplaces' act as mere intermediaries and are not responsible for the safety of the products sold in them.From OCU we ask that sellers demand that products for sale on their website have certificates that demonstrate that they are safe and the control mechanisms are reinforced, ”they defend.