A Swansea MP is pressing the government to highlight the dangers of counterfeit and substandard electrical goods in the run up to the Christmas retail period.
The call comes in advance of National Consumer Week, starting on 28 November, which will focus on the growing trend of potentially hazardous gifts bought on the internet and entering the UK.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Carolyn Harris, called on Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy minister Margot James to back trading standards departments in tackling the problem.
She added, “Last year’s hoverboards debacle highlights to us the dangers of internet sales. Will the Minister consider talking to her colleagues in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport about introducing measures in the Digital Economy Bill to help prevent such incidents?”
Ms James stated she would liaise with DCMS colleagues and report back.
She stated: “I thank the hon. Lady for her question and congratulate her on the work of her home electrical safety all-party group. Manufacturers are required by law to take corrective action when they discover a fault, whether the fault emerges in products sold online or in the high street.
“In addition to local trading standards, we fund National Trading Standards, which prevents many substandard products coming into the UK”.
