Consumer watchdog 'routinely' contacts Amazon about safety alerts for products

The records also detail how in some cases Amazon had already removed products from sale before even being contacted by the CCPC in Ireland. File photo: Michael Sohn

The consumer watchdog has written to retail delivery giant Amazon dozens of times this year about safety alerts over products that were being sold online.

Among the items flagged by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) were paddling pools, toy bow and arrows, hair straighteners, and helmets.

The CCPC said it was not possible to say how many times they had been in touch with Amazon over the past two years but said much of the correspondence was “routine in nature”.

In a sample of communication between the two so far this year, the retailing giant detailed the investigations they had undertaken on how many customers in Ireland had bought products that ended up being withdrawn.

During July, Amazon was asked about a touch control table lamp that UK authorities had issued an alert about due to a “high risk of electric shock”.

In an email, the company told the CCPC: “We can confirm that this product has been removed on 03/03/2023 following an authority request from UK Trading Standards. A total of 372 units have been sold in the Republic of Ireland in relation to this referral.” 

Another case in July involved a string light bulb chain that was considered to have a “high risk of electric shock”.

Correspondence from Amazon to the CCPC said just over 900 of these had been sold in Ireland and that all customers had been contacted by email to tell them the item should not be used.

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In some cases, the retailer said that items flagged by UK authorities had not been sold in the Republic of Ireland.

The company was also asked about sales of a soft toy where plastic eyes were easily removable and were considered a choking risk. Amazon said that 58 of the toys had been sold in Ireland but that an email had been sent to all customers and no “incidents or injuries” had been reported.

Another report detailed the removal from sale of tea lights, of which 132 had been sold in the Republic, and an inflatable snowman, of which 29 were purchased by customers here.

The records also detail how in some cases Amazon had already removed products from sale before even being contacted by the CCPC in Ireland.

Other queries concerned high levels of chemicals in a bow and arrow, and a handle that could break off a stroller when on rough surfaces. However, Amazon confirmed that neither of those products had even been sold in Ireland.

The CCPC also flagged an inflatable pool where the plastic contained an “excessive concentration” of two different chemicals. Amazon responded saying: “A total of 204 units have been sold in the Republic of Ireland in relation to this referral … we can confirm that this product has been removed on [19 April].” 

In emails, the retailer said they always took all necessary actions to ensure customers were protected. And for all of the issues raised in the correspondence this year, no accidents or incidents had been reported.

The CCPC said they were the market surveillance authority for goods such as toys, low voltage equipment, PPE, and some other consumer products.

A spokeswoman said: “Our Product Safety Division’s (PSD) correspondence with online platforms such as Amazon is routine in nature and is to protect consumers from risks of injury related to products sold on these platforms. PSD may contact Amazon to ensure that products which have been deemed unsafe are no longer available to Irish consumers.”