Amazon and other platforms have removed a number of non-compliant Christmas products

According to consumer group Which?, several e-commerce platforms , including Amazon and eBay , have listed several Christmas light products that violate regulations and pose safety risks .

It is understood that the consumer organization tested Christmas lights sold on four e-commerce platforms and found that 10 of the 12 products did not comply with UK electrical equipment safety regulations.

Which? says all the lights it reviewed were bought online for £ 15 or less.

Both Amazon and eBay said they take product safety issues seriously and have removed the items from their sites .

Two sets of products on both platforms failed compliance checks , either missing key markings or not providing instructions.

Which ? also checked products from Wish and another e-commerce platform , and both companies also said they had removed products that were illegally sold on their platforms .

Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, said cheap Christmas lights might be tempting during a time of the cost of living crisis , but shoppers could be "putting themselves at risk" because online shopping platforms " do n't take safety seriously ".

In response to this issue , an eBay spokesperson said : "We take the safety of our users very seriously and have removed items that pose a safety hazard . "

An Amazon spokesperson also told Which ? : "Safety is Amazon's top priority, and we will ensure that all products on our platform stores comply with applicable laws and regulations. "

Which? said a set of lights purchased from the Wish platform had multiple faults, even though the set only cost £ 13 .

The consumer group said that the wires of a fairy LED light string sold on the Wish platform are prone to leakage , and the item poses both an electric shock risk and a fire risk . In the product description, the merchant even advertised that the product is waterproof , but Which? did not find evidence to support this claim.

In response to the findings, Wish said product safety was its "number one priority".

“We have a clear policy prohibiting the sale of products on our platform that violate local or other applicable laws, regulations and/or safety standards . Once we find any violating products on our platform , we will take immediate action and monitor the products of other similar merchants . ”

Finally, Which? recommends that consumers buy Christmas lights from high streets or big-name merchants, so that the product quality and after-sales service will be more guaranteed.

According to Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, approximately 60% of house fires are caused by electrical faults.

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