A leading independent retailers’ association has backed calls for urgent government action after consumer champion Which? uncovered hundreds of dangerous products being sold through major online marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay and Etsy.

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) is responding to Which? research revealing nearly 800 products similar or identical to items previously flagged as unsafe by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), with 98% posing a serious or high risk to consumers. The products include toys with choking hazards and baby sleeping bags that could suffocate infants

“This is further evidence of the ‘wild west’ nature of online shopping,” says Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira. “Customers are sadly unaware of the issues highlighted by Which?, and we support the calls for the owners of the marketplaces to be held to account.”

Which? estimates that at least 8.8 million consumers have experienced harm from faulty, unsafe or fraudulent products bought from online marketplaces. The consumer organisation found that 90% of UK consumers have made purchases on online marketplaces in the last two years.

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act, adopted in July, enables the Secretary of State to impose product safety requirements on online marketplaces, but these regulations have been delayed. Which? is calling for the government to urgently use these powers to prevent dangerous products from reaching UK consumers.

Bira, which works with around 6,000 independent retailers across the UK, champions the cause of independent traders and shopkeepers, focusing on revitalising and preserving the high street. For further information on Bira, please click here.