Which? Flags 9 of 15 Phone Chargers as Lethal Risks, Urges UK Crackdown on Marketplaces
Updated
Updated · TechRadar · Jun 10
Which? Flags 9 of 15 Phone Chargers as Lethal Risks, Urges UK Crackdown on Marketplaces
3 articles · Updated · TechRadar · Jun 10
Summary
Nine of 15 third-party phone chargers tested by Which? posed serious electric-shock risks, and eight also carried fire or explosion hazards despite being sold through retailers including Amazon, B&Q and Debenhams.
Which? said the failures stemmed from poor design and manufacturing — inadequate insulation, components placed too close together, failed high-voltage tests and non-compliant plug pins that can trigger electrical arcing.
One counterfeit Apple 35W charger sold for £11.99 produced arcing noises within 10 seconds; investigators also found modelling clay inside it, and in another charger sold via Debenhams, apparently to add weight.
The watchdog said even some chargers that passed safety tests, including models sold via Temu and Shein, were still illegal in the UK because they lacked required markings and importer details.
Backed by a 150,000-signature petition, Which? is pressing the UK government to use powers under the 2025 Product Regulation and Metrology Act to hold online marketplaces liable and fine them for unsafe listings.