**Online Marketplaces Still Selling Dozens of Unsafe Baby Products, Which? Finds**
**London, UK** – A new investigation by consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that major online marketplaces, including Amazon and TikTok, are still hosting and selling dozens of dangerous baby products despite them being subject to official safety notices and recalls.
The concerning findings highlight products such as unsafe baby pillows, sleeping bags, and feeders, all of which pose significant and potentially fatal risks to infants. Which? researchers identified a worrying number of listings for these hazardous items, underscoring a persistent failure by platforms to adequately protect vulnerable consumers.
Baby pillows, for instance, are widely discouraged by health experts due to the risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Similarly, certain baby sleeping bags found for sale may not meet crucial safety standards, potentially leading to overheating or strangulation hazards. Unsafe feeders, meanwhile, can present choking risks or contain harmful materials.
“It is completely unacceptable that unsafe baby products, some subject to official recalls, continue to be readily available on major online marketplaces,” stated Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy. “These platforms have a responsibility to ensure that products sold on their sites are safe. Their current measures are clearly insufficient, putting babies’ lives at risk.”
Which? emphasized that many of these products had already been flagged with official safety warnings or even recalled by manufacturers or regulators, yet they remained accessible to unsuspecting parents through various third-party sellers on the platforms. The investigation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of marketplaces’ safety checks and the speed with which they remove hazardous items, even after being officially alerted.
In response to previous similar findings, marketplaces typically state their commitment to safety and often remove identified listings once alerted. However, Which?’s latest findings suggest these reactive measures are insufficient to stem the tide of dangerous products, many of which originate from overseas sellers.
Which? is calling on online marketplaces to implement more robust preventative measures, including stricter vetting processes for sellers and automated systems to block listings of products that have been subject to safety notices. They also urge regulators to hold these platforms more accountable for ensuring the safety of goods sold to consumers.
Parents and guardians are advised to exercise extreme caution when purchasing baby products online, checking for official safety notices and reviews, and where possible, buying directly from reputable brands and retailers.
