Illegal car seats that do not meet safety standards are still available for purchase online, despite being flagged as unsafe a decade ago, according to a recent warning from a consumer watchdog. Which? discovered these substandard car seats being sold on various online platforms such as eBay, Little Dreams, ManoMano, Shein, and Wish, a decade after they were initially identified in 2014.
Although the seats were previously removed from sale, Which? reported finding over a dozen new listings of these hazardous products online. Authorities have also cautioned that similar unsafe car seats have been found in vehicles during car seat checking events. Priced between £12.50 and under £40, these illegal car seats are significantly cheaper than the standard prices, which typically start at around £80. Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards have previously labeled these products as “killer car seats.”
The safety concerns with these car seats include a thin base, lack of a central harness release point, and absence of side impact protection. These defects can compromise a child’s safety in the event of a crash. Additionally, the seats lack the required orange safety labels indicating compliance with safety regulations.
Legally, child car seats in the UK must have an R44 or R129 regulation label. While eBay’s product descriptions label these items as car seats, the full descriptions advise against using them in cars. One listing explicitly mentioned that these seats should not be used in high-speed vehicles but rather in non-motorized products like electric vehicles and two-wheelers.
Sue Davies, the head of consumer protection policy at Which?, expressed concern over the reappearance of these dangerous car seats online, emphasizing the risks to children’s lives, particularly in less affluent households. Davies called for stricter regulations to hold online marketplaces accountable for listing such hazardous products.
PC Rachael Wonfor from Warwickshire Police shared a concerning incident where she found improper child car seats during a checking event. She highlighted the dangers of using unauthorized harness systems as substitutes for child car seats and stressed the importance of ensuring children’s safety while traveling in vehicles.
In response to the issue, eBay, Shein, Little Dreams, and Wish have taken steps to remove the problematic listings and enforce safety measures on their platforms. However, ManoMano did not provide any comment regarding the matter. The commitment to enhancing safety standards and collaboration with regulators was emphasized by the online marketplaces to ensure a secure shopping environment for users.