Holidaymakers heading abroad this summer are being warned to be cautious of dangerous travel adaptors. An investigation has revealed that thousands of these devices could be lurking online, putting users at risk. The consumer safety group Electrical Safety First (ESF) put 14 products from popular platforms like AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace, eBay, and TikTok Shop to the test, and shockingly, all failed to meet UK safety standards. This is no small matter; these faulty adaptors could expose users to serious electric shocks or even electrocution!
Giuseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer at ESF, is urging vacationers to buy travel adaptors only from trusted retailers. “You need to travel with confidence,” he warned, emphasizing the dangers posed by faulty internal parts, which can include missing fuses and oversized pin holes. The Office for Product Safety and Standards has also taken note of these alarming issues, recently recalling a product that lacked safety shutters and rejecting another for not meeting UK plug dimension requirements.
Online reviews have raised eyebrows about the extent to which these dangerous devices are being purchased and used. One Amazon Marketplace user reported that their adaptor “fell apart in their hands,” leaving them fearing they could have been electrocuted. Yahu, can you imagine that? Meanwhile, a review of a universal travel adaptor on AliExpress claimed it exploded while in use! An AliExpress spokesperson confirmed they had removed the flagged products and were reaching out to affected customers for a recall. They assured that they would restrict listings with such “unsafe characteristics.”
TikTok also stated they “robustly” enforce their safety policies, but ESF believes the government needs to step up and hold online sellers accountable. Capanna has called for online marketplaces to be made legally responsible for the products sold on their platforms, arguing that this move could better protect consumers from hazardous electrical goods. The consumer group Which? recently found phone chargers for sale online that posed similar risks, further highlighting the urgency of the situation. Sue Davies, head of consumer protection, voiced her concerns, asserting that the risks are widespread and alarming.
In a rather shocking revelation, an adaptor purchased from TikTok Shop failed safety tests because multiple sets of its pins could retract simultaneously. Capanna pointed out that a universal travel adaptor allowing multiple pins to extend at once is a glaring sign of danger, showing a lack of care in its production. As the summer travel season heats up, the importance of safety cannot be overstated. So, what’s next? How can you ensure you’re not putting yourself at risk this holiday season? Stay tuned as we dig deeper into this pressing issue!
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber