Cornish Shoppers Beware: Dangerous BBQs and Outdoor Gear Found on Popular Sites

As Cornwall gears up for the summer bank holiday, with many planning beachside BBQs and garden gatherings, an alarming new investigation has revealed that 96% of outdoor electrical products tested by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First have failed basic safety tests. These failures pose significant risks of electric shocks and fires, potentially turning a perfect Cornish summer day into a disaster.

Hazardous Products Sold by Major Online Retailers

The investigation, which spanned a year, examined 26 products from third-party sellers on popular online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Temu, Wish, and AliExpress. Shockingly, all but one product failed at least one safety test, with nearly half posing both fire and electric shock hazards. Products commonly used in Cornwall’s outdoor lifestyle—such as electric BBQs, festoon lighting for those warm evenings, and even paddling pool heaters—were found to be dangerously defective.

Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First, expressed deep concern: “Consumers in Cornwall and beyond are being misled into thinking these products are safe for outdoor use. In reality, many of them fall woefully short of basic safety standards, putting lives at risk.”

Alarming Test Results: Fire Hazards in Popular Summer Products

The investigation uncovered that electric barbeques, a popular choice for Cornish BBQs, were fitted with substandard plugs and counterfeit fuses, posing a serious risk of fire and electric shock. Similarly, patio heaters and festoon lights, marketed as waterproof and perfect for Cornwall’s unpredictable weather, failed water ingress tests, leaving users vulnerable to severe risks if left out in the rain. Particularly troubling was the discovery that a water immersion heater, designed for children’s paddling pools, caught fire during testing when not submerged.

Calls for Stronger Safety Regulations

Electrical Safety First is calling for a complete overhaul of product safety laws, criticising the current voluntary system of self-regulation by online giants. Lesley Rudd adds, “Cornish consumers, like everyone else in the UK, deserve better protection when shopping online. Stronger laws are urgently needed to ensure that products sold online are safe to use.”

Tips to Stay Safe From Electrical Safety First

To help protect themselves, Cornish shoppers are advised to follow these safety tips from Electrical Safety First:

1. Don’t buy on price alone – not all bargains are worth it!
   Some fakes are for sale just below the recommended retail value, hoodwinking shoppers that are too savvy to fall for the ‘too good to be true’ deals. Make sure you do your homework if you decide to buy products below high street retail prices.
2. Don’t just take the seller’s word for it – or the reviewer’s!
   Beware of a product with solely glowing reviews, especially if the reviewers aren’t verified. Some sites cross-reference user reviews with their buyer database and label those people as “verified purchasers”.
3. Know where you’re buying from
   Make sure you know where the supplier is based, a ‘co.uk’ URL doesn’t guarantee the website is UK based. If there is no address supplied, or there is just a PO Box, be wary; many substandard electrical goods are manufactured overseas, where they will not be safety tested and are produced as quickly and cheaply as possible.
4. Beware of words qualifying an item’s authenticity
   If the seller claims the product is ‘genuine’, ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ double check the source. Most reputable retailers don’t need to sell their products like this.
5. Stick to reputable retailers you know and trust:
   This is the most important thing you can do to keep yourself safe.
6. Check the plug
   Your product should come with a compliant UK plug, if it comes with a foreign plug or a travel adaptor to use in the UK it’s likely not been through the safety tests to ensure it’s suitable to be sold into the UK market.

Responses from Online Retailers

Following the investigation, several online marketplaces have issued responses:

• A Wish spokesperson said that all merchants must adhere to local laws and safety standards, adding, “We acted quickly to remove the flagged products and reminded merchants of their obligations.”
• A Temu representative emphasised their commitment to safety, noting, “The product listing was removed on July 9 during routine checks, as part of our ongoing effort to ensure compliance.”
• AliExpress stated their strict policies on product safety, saying, “We have a proactive approach to scanning and removing non-compliant product listings.”
• An eBay spokesperson highlighted their proactive safety measures, including block filter algorithms and collaboration with regulators to remove unsafe items.
• Amazon reiterated their commitment to customer safety, stating, “We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations and have removed these products pending further investigation.”

As the Cornish summer bank holiday approaches, shoppers are urged to be vigilant and prioritise safety over convenience when making online purchases for their outdoor celebrations. For more information on how to stay safe, visit Electrical Safety First’s website.