Dozens of carbon monoxide alarms removed from sale on Amazon and eBay after failing safety tests

Which? calls for government to take 'more active role' in product safety after investigation exposes dangerous devices

Chris Baynes
Friday 22 June 2018 00:03 BST
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A Topolek GEHS007AW carbon monoxide alarm, costing £14.99 and listed as a bestseller on Amazon, which failed safety tests
A Topolek GEHS007AW carbon monoxide alarm, costing £14.99 and listed as a bestseller on Amazon, which failed safety tests

Dozens of carbon monoxide alarms sold over Amazon and eBay have been withdrawn from sale after failing safety tests.

Four alarms available for sale on the retail websites failed to detect the presence of the gas, making them potentially lethal in the event of a carbon monoxide build-up in a home, an investigation by Which? found.

The consumer group urged anyone who purchased one of the devices – which all claimed to meet British safety standards – to replace them.

One of the alarms, the Topolek GEHS007AW CO, failed to detect the gas in more than 80 per cent of the tests conducted by the watchdog. It was bestseller on Amazon, where it retailed at £14.99.

Three other unbranded alarms, made in China and sold through Amazon and eBay for less than £10, also repeatedly failed to sound when there was carbon monoxide in the air.

Which? said the alarms appeared identical to some it tested in 2016, which also did not sound when carbon monoxide was present.

Amazon and eBay have removed the alarms from sale and also “de-listed” another 50 lookalike alarms believed to be identical to the three unbranded alarms.

An unbranded carbon monoxide alarm, sold through Amazon and eBay for less than £10, which failed Which? safety tests

Which? advised anyone who owns one of the alarms to replace it immediately and to contact the company they bought it from for a full refund.

The consumer group said its investigation exposed flaws in the UK’s current product safety system.

It called on the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to take a “more active role” in market surveillance to identify products on sale that pose a potential safety risk.

“It’s extremely concerning that these unsafe alarms were being sold by major retailers, and anyone who has one of these alarms should replace it straight away," said Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services.

She added: “When household names such as Amazon and eBay are selling products that could put consumers at risk, it is clear more must be done by businesses and the government to proactively identify potentially dangerous products and stop them from entering people’s homes.”

An eBay spokeswoman said: “The safety of customers is our number one priority and we work closely with bodies such as Trading Standards to ensure listings sold on our marketplace comply with the law.

“The items flagged by Which? did not comply with the required UK regulations and were removed.

“We are working with the sellers of these products to ensure their customers are aware they have been removed from the site.”

An Amazon spokesman said: “All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don’t will be subject to action including potential removal of their account. The products in question are no longer available.”

An estimated eight million carbon monoxide alarms are installed in homes across England. The devices are a legal requirement in private rental properties with solid fuel appliances such as wood burning stoves and boilers.

A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesman said: “The government’s top priority is to keep people safe, which is why goods being sold in the UK must meet some of the strictest safety laws in the world.

“The Office for Product Safety and Standards works with local authority Trading Standards and border force to ensure dangerous products do not reach UK consumers.

“The evidence provided by Which? will be reviewed by the office and action will be taken as appropriate.”

Additional reporting by PA

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