Looking back at last months recalls of non-food consumer goods as listed on the EU websites RAPEX and RASFF as well as the US website of CPSC.
Finnish market surveillance authorities Tukes is increasing the pressure on e-commerce platforms AliXpress and Wish.
Besides the usual suspects as children clothing with flaky drawstrings this month showed a new trend. It was a first to see (non-EU) e-commerce platforms to be called to action for facilitating placing non-compliance, in fact really dangerous, products on the market. This fits in the strategy to increase the market surveillance pressure on the flow of goods from non-EU brands directly to EU-consumers.
AliXpress and Wish will be forced to remove the listed products from their websites. The authorities will warn consumers of the risk and it seems logically that they will send the invoice for the communication cost to AliXpress and Wish respectively.
All this is result of a recent investigation by TUKES (Finnish market surveillance authority) in which they found that ALL of the toys and child care products tested were dangerous. Cords and drawstrings that could cause strangulation, button cell batteries that came loose to easily, small parts, very tricky dummy feeders for babies.
Also USB mobile phone chargers that posed a risk of fire and electric shock. Jewellery without any precious metal and last but not least cosmetics with doubtful ingredients.
Conclusion: Cheap and not cheerful. Not cheerful at all.