Which? Flags 15 Phone Chargers as Illegal and Unsafe, Prompting Marketplace Removals
Updated
Updated · UNILAD Tech · Jun 11
Which? Flags 15 Phone Chargers as Illegal and Unsafe, Prompting Marketplace Removals
3 articles · Updated · UNILAD Tech · Jun 11
Summary
Tests by UK consumer group Which? found all 15 third-party phone chargers it bought from seven online marketplaces were illegal to sell in Britain and have since been removed.
Nine of the 15 posed an immediate electrocution risk, while eight showed fire or explosion danger, with electrical arcing — buzzing, snapping and sizzling — heard within 10 seconds in some cases.
Amazon Haul, AliExpress, B&Q Marketplace, Debenhams Marketplace and eBay were among the platforms where the chargers were purchased, underscoring the reach of the problem across major retailers.
Sue Davies, Which?'s head of consumer protection policy, said marketplaces have known about knock-off charger risks for years and urged the UK government to make platforms legally responsible for third-party product safety.