UK Warns Over 14 Travel Adaptors Failing Safety Tests as Amazon, eBay and TikTok Remove Listings
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 28
UK Warns Over 14 Travel Adaptors Failing Safety Tests as Amazon, eBay and TikTok Remove Listings
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 28
Summary
Electrical Safety First said all 14 travel adaptors it bought from AliExpress, Amazon Marketplace, eBay and TikTok Shop failed UK safety requirements, prompting a warning to holidaymakers buying for summer trips.
Six of eight universal adaptors exposed multiple sets of pins at once, while none met required dimensions or strength; the six basic adaptors also showed fire risks including missing shutters, missing fuses and oversized pin holes.
AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and TikTok said they removed the flagged products, with AliExpress also contacting affected customers for a recall and reviewing similar universal adaptor listings.
ESF said online reviews suggested the devices may already be widely used and urged shoppers to buy from trusted retailers, warning broken pins or exposed live parts could cause electric shock or electrocution.
The charity wants online marketplaces made legally responsible for goods sold on their sites, arguing repeated findings on adaptors and other electrical products show current UK protections are too weak.