252 baby product listings have been removed from online marketplaces including Amazon and Temu as part of a safety sweep from EU consumer authorities, including Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The EU-wide online sweep was carried out under new product safety laws and it uncovered widespread safety and compliance issues, according to the CCPC.
In total, 1,741 listings on 47 marketplaces were targeted during April and May – including Amazon, Shein, Etsy, eBay, Temu and Zalando.
72 (29%) of the 252 removal orders were issued by the CCPC.
The listings were deemed to have failed to meet minimum safety and compliance information requirements or featured products that had already been recalled from the market.
Listings for products such as baby carriers, slings and baby walkers were among those removed.
Officers analysed the listings for compliance with minimum product safety information rules, which require clear details of the manufacturer and EU responsible person to be displayed.
The CCPC said this information is crucial for the protection of babies and children from dangerous or faulty products.
Commenting on the sweep, Chair of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Brian McHugh said: “Many parents turn to online marketplaces for convenience when buying baby products, and they deserve to know that the item is safe”.
“Our product safety officers issue recalls for tens of thousands of items every year and traceability is critically important. Online marketplaces have a duty to be transparent about what they’re selling and provide contact details in the event a product is unsafe”.
“We’re pleased that the online marketplaces co-operated when we contacted them, and the listings were taken down promptly. The work of our officers, in collaboration with colleagues across EU, has stopped hundreds of potentially unsafe products being offered for sale to Irish consumers,” he added.
