ACT parent company Bira backs calls for online marketplace accountability over dangerous product safety failures
Posted on in Business News, Cycles News
ACT parent company Bira has thrown its support behind new Which? research revealing widespread dangerous product safety failures on major online marketplaces.
The investigation by the consumer champion found 100 ladders sharing similar or identical designs to a product that ended an electrician's career after he fell 4.5 metres from a faulty telescopic ladder bought on Amazon Marketplace, with the research identifying these products for sale across 21 online platforms including AliExpress, eBay, Shein and Temu.
The findings come as the cycling sector raises parallel concerns about the growing availability of illegal and potentially dangerous e-bikes being sold through major marketplaces, often marketed as road-legal despite failing to meet UK regulations.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: "This deeply troubling research exposes what independent retailers have long known - that online marketplaces are operating without the accountability that physical retailers are held to every single day.
"Our members must comply with strict product safety standards, yet dangerous goods continue to reach consumers through online platforms unchecked. The Government must use the forthcoming consultation on the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces, and enforce it robustly.
"This is another example of how online marketplaces have become the wild west of retailing. We have unsafe products, fake products and widescale VAT fraud. The Government must take action as part of its own high street strategy - independent retailers cannot continue to compete on an uneven playing field while consumers are put at risk."
Cycling industry bodies warn that high-powered models capable of speeds far beyond legal limits are being widely listed on platforms including eBay, Very and Argos, with limited checks on compliance, safety certification or battery quality.
This issue has been raised by industry bodies such as the E-Bike Positive campaign, which has called for tighter scrutiny of online marketplaces and greater promotion and recognition of responsible retailers supplying compliant products from reputable brands.
According to an investigation by Cycling Electric in November last year, many of the e-bikes in question are sold with throttles or motor outputs exceeding the UK’s 250W limit, effectively classifying them as motor vehicles rather than bicycles and making them illegal for road use without registration and insurance.
Jonathan Harrison
Jonathan Harrison, Director of the ACT, said: "The current situation is creating confusion for consumers and increasing risk across the sector, with unsafe products entering homes and public spaces while legitimate retailers face unfair competition from sellers ignoring the rules.
"Enforcement must extend to online platforms themselves, alongside clearer consumer guidance and stronger promotion of independent cycle retailers who provide compliant e-bikes, expert advice and after-sales care."
Bira is urging its members to engage with the consultation on secondary legislation under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act when it is published in the coming weeks, stressing the need for urgent action to level the playing field and protect consumers.
A list of trusted e-bike retailers can be found on the E-Bike Positive campaign website.
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