London, UK – A recent study by consumer group Which? revealed that cheap electric heaters sold by online platforms Temu and Tiktok have been found to pose serious safety risks to consumers. The study found that these heaters could potentially cause electric shocks and even pose an explosion threat, prompting the removal of these products from sale.
The XH-1201 1200W portable heater sold on Tiktok was found to pose an ‘explosion threat’, while an identical heater bought on Temu was found to have ‘poor’ electrical connections and was too easy to open up, exposing working parts. Another portable space heater sold on Temu was also found to be incorrectly assembled and was liable to give users an electric shock.
In addition to these safety concerns, the study found that other products advertised on these online platforms were poorly built and had missing evidence of safety certification. The consumer group also highlighted the lack of legal responsibility placed on online marketplaces, which can pass liability for unsafe and illegal products to sellers outside the UK and beyond its regulations.
Sue Davies, the head of consumer protection policy at Which? emphasized the need for the government to give greater legal responsibility to online marketplaces, ensuring that they take action to prevent dangerous products from ending up in people’s homes.
Both Temu and Tiktok have responded to the study’s findings, with Temu stating that customer safety is its ‘highest priority’ and that it has taken ‘immediate action’ to remove the hazardous items from sale. Tiktok mentioned that it uses a combination of technology and manual moderation to regulate products stocked in its online shop, and that the heaters have been removed for violating their policies on Electricals and Electronics.
The study underscores the importance of regulatory oversight and legal responsibility for online marketplaces to protect consumers from unsafe products, and calls for greater transparency and accountability in the e-commerce industry.