Consumer watchdog Which? has exposed a disturbing safety crisis affecting online shoppers across the UK, identifying hundreds of "potentially dangerous" products that remain available for purchase despite being flagged as unsafe by regulators.
Simple Search Reveals Alarming Safety Failures
In a startling investigation, Which? discovered nearly 800 items being sold on major online platforms including Amazon Marketplace, eBay and Shein that violated British safety standards. The consumer champion made these findings using remarkably basic methods - a simple Google image search rather than sophisticated software.
The research team identified products that were similar or identical to items previously flagged as dangerous by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) within the past year. Worryingly, Which? determined that these unsafe products had typically been reported to authorities nearly six months before they appeared for sale on these marketplaces.
Children's Items Among Most Dangerous Finds
The investigation revealed particularly concerning safety breaches involving products intended for vulnerable consumers. Which? found baby clothes, children's toys and sleeping bags among the dangerous items still circulating online.
In one particularly alarming case, researchers identified over 100 examples of baby sleeping bags that present a serious risk of asphyxiation. For a single safety alert notice, the team matched 71 individual products being advertised as suitable for babies across various online platforms.
To verify their findings, Which? conducted safety tests on 15 selected products. Every single item failed the safety assessment, with most having been previously identified as dangerous by the OPSS.
Millions of Consumers Potentially Affected
The scale of the problem extends far beyond the individual products identified. Which? estimates that at least 8.8 million UK consumers may have already experienced harm from faulty, unsafe, or fraudulent products purchased through online marketplaces.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, stated: "Our latest research shows just how easily marketplaces could step up their efforts to tackle this problem if they were taking product safety as seriously as they claim."
She emphasised that when products appear identical to those declared unsafe by regulators, "marketplaces should act with common sense and remove them immediately." Davies called for urgent government action, demanding that ministers "prioritise secondary regulations for the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces, with tough enforcement for those that fall short."
Marketplace Responses to Safety Concerns
Amazon responded to the findings by stating: "We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and Amazon policies, and we proactively monitor our store for safety alerts and product recalls."
The company noted that safety alerts typically concern specific product characteristics and claimed that "the vast majority of products highlighted by Which?'s research do not fall under the scope of these alerts." However, Amazon confirmed it had "temporarily delisted the products tested by Which?" as a precautionary measure.
eBay emphasised that "consumer safety is a top priority" and reported having "reviewed the listings identified by Which? and taken action where required, including removing items and notifying buyers where appropriate." The platform highlighted its use of "seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms, AI-supported monitoring by in-house specialists, and close partnerships with regulators" to address unsafe products.
Shein representatives stated that all vendors must "comply with SHEIN's code of conduct and abide by relevant laws and regulations," adding that when "non-compliant items are found, SHEIN takes immediate action to remove them."
The investigation, conducted by Hannah Ahmed and published on November 21, 2025, reveals significant gaps in online consumer protection that continue to put British shoppers at risk.
