Coronavirus: Warnings from consumer watchdog to people buying PPE online

The consumer watchdog has issued a warning over buying personal protective equipment (PPE) online following concerns some of the products are not the required standard.

The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is advising caution for online shoppers amid fears they could be duped by dubious claims on some websites selling the likes of hand sanitiser, face masks and gloves.

The warning relates to an increasing number of online traders claiming these products have been donated to healthcare providers. These ’’donation claims’’ imply the materials are of a certain safety standard and, potentially, put consumers at risk of buying inferior products.

Such claims "present a significant risk to customers", the CCPC said.

Speaking at a government press briefing, senior civil servant Liz Canavan said some traders are claiming PPE products have been donated to hospitals or other healthcare providers.

"In many cases, it is unclear whether these products are suitable for use in healthcare settings and should not be considered as an indication of suitability of standards," Ms Canavan said.

The CCPC is concerned such claims are likely to influence consumers when they are purchasing products online and said claims relating to a product being donated to healthcare service providers should not be considered as an indication of suitability.

If a consumer is considering buying hand sanitising products and they are concerned, they can check The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine’s register for biocidal products. Only notified and authorised products listed on the Department’s register are legal for sale and use in Ireland.

The European Commission has also published advice for customers. It says consumers should be cautious if traders:

• Use language or images in their marketing which explicitly or implicitly suggest that a product is able to prevent or cure Covid-19 infection.
• Make reference to self-declared doctors, health professionals, experts or other unofficial sources stating that a product is able to prevent or cure an infection with the new virus.
• Refer by name or logo to government authorities, official experts or international institutions which have allegedly endorsed the protective or curative claims without providing hyperlinks or references to official documents.
• Use scarcity claims such as “only available today”, “sell out fast” or similar.
• Inform about market conditions such as “lowest price on the market”, “only product that can cure Covid-19 infections” or similar.
• Use prices that are well above the normal price for similar products due to the fact that they would allegedly prevent or cure Covid-19 infection.

- Additional reporting Áine McMahon