Third of sunglasses on Amazon and more pose child eye risk
Which? bought 20 pairs of sunglasses for children and found that the UV protection levels were 'dangerously low' for two of them, despite claims they offered full protection.
One third of sunglasses sold on platforms like Amazon and eBay could damage child eysight
The UV protection levels were found to be inconsistent in many of these specs (Image: Getty Images) Some sunglasses were also found to offer significantly different protection from one lens to the other.
Several models including Cute Cat Kids' Sunglasses UV Protection (£1.59 from Amazon), Classic Vintage Holiday Sunglasses UV400 (£3.99 on eBay), Kids' Aviators (£1.16 from AliExpress), Kids £1 Sunglasses (from Temu) and red heart-shaped sunglasses (£5.28 from eBay) all made either misleading claims about their ability to block UV rays or had inconsistent UV filtering.
All of the sunglasses tested were found to be missing key information, labels and markings, such as CE or UK Conformity Assessed markings (UKCA), which are required for them to be sold in the UK legally.
Which? director of policy and advocacy Rocio Concha said: 'With summer holidays approaching, it is understandable that parents will want to buy their children sunglasses, and kids and parents alike might be tempted by some of the cheap and trendy options sold online.
'Our research shows many of these models are so ineffective as to be dangerous for children to wear and this is a consequence of online marketplaces having no real responsibility or incentive for taking safety seriously.
'The Government's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must be strengthened to include legal responsibilities for online marketplaces to ensure the products they sell on their sites are safe, with heavy fines for those that fall short of the required standards.'
An Amazon spokesman said: 'Safety is a top priority, and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies.
'We continuously monitor our store and take action to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing non-compliant products and reaching out to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information.
'The products in question have been removed."
AliExpress also said it had removed the items that failed Which?'s tests, adding: 'AliExpress takes product safety very seriously and we have strict rules and policies in place to ensure a safe online shopping environment.'
A spokeswoman for eBay said: 'Consumer safety is a top priority. We proactively keep our site safe and prevent prohibited listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms for unsafe listings, and AI-supported monitoring by our team of in-house specialists.
'If we find an unsafe product, we remove it immediately and alert buyers, which is the exact approach we took on April 4 2025, before Which? contacted us.'
Temu said: 'We take product safety very seriously. All three flagged listings have been removed from the platform pending further review.'
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TikTok said: 'The safety of our customers is of our utmost priority, and we have strict measures in place to ensure that our sellers comply with regulations and safety standards.
'These listings have been removed from our platform.'
Shein said: 'We take product safety very seriously and are committed to offering safe and reliable products to its customers. We immediately removed the items from our site as a precaution while we investigate.'
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The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Third of sunglasses on Amazon and more pose child eye risk
One third of sunglasses sold on platforms like Amazon and eBay could damage child eysight The UV protection levels were found to be inconsistent in many of these specs (Image: Getty Images) Some sunglasses were also found to offer significantly different protection from one lens to the other. Several models including Cute Cat Kids' Sunglasses UV Protection (£1.59 from Amazon), Classic Vintage Holiday Sunglasses UV400 (£3.99 on eBay), Kids' Aviators (£1.16 from AliExpress), Kids £1 Sunglasses (from Temu) and red heart-shaped sunglasses (£5.28 from eBay) all made either misleading claims about their ability to block UV rays or had inconsistent UV filtering. All of the sunglasses tested were found to be missing key information, labels and markings, such as CE or UK Conformity Assessed markings (UKCA), which are required for them to be sold in the UK legally. Which? director of policy and advocacy Rocio Concha said: 'With summer holidays approaching, it is understandable that parents will want to buy their children sunglasses, and kids and parents alike might be tempted by some of the cheap and trendy options sold online. 'Our research shows many of these models are so ineffective as to be dangerous for children to wear and this is a consequence of online marketplaces having no real responsibility or incentive for taking safety seriously. 'The Government's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must be strengthened to include legal responsibilities for online marketplaces to ensure the products they sell on their sites are safe, with heavy fines for those that fall short of the required standards.' An Amazon spokesman said: 'Safety is a top priority, and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. 'We continuously monitor our store and take action to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing non-compliant products and reaching out to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information. 'The products in question have been removed." AliExpress also said it had removed the items that failed Which?'s tests, adding: 'AliExpress takes product safety very seriously and we have strict rules and policies in place to ensure a safe online shopping environment.' A spokeswoman for eBay said: 'Consumer safety is a top priority. We proactively keep our site safe and prevent prohibited listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms for unsafe listings, and AI-supported monitoring by our team of in-house specialists. 'If we find an unsafe product, we remove it immediately and alert buyers, which is the exact approach we took on April 4 2025, before Which? contacted us.' Temu said: 'We take product safety very seriously. All three flagged listings have been removed from the platform pending further review.' Recommended Reading: TikTok said: 'The safety of our customers is of our utmost priority, and we have strict measures in place to ensure that our sellers comply with regulations and safety standards. 'These listings have been removed from our platform.' Shein said: 'We take product safety very seriously and are committed to offering safe and reliable products to its customers. We immediately removed the items from our site as a precaution while we investigate.'
Glasgow Times
9 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Third of sunglasses on Amazon and more pose child eye risk
Which? bought 20 pairs of sunglasses for children and found that the UV protection levels were 'dangerously low' for two of them, despite claims they offered full protection. One third of sunglasses sold on platforms like Amazon and eBay could damage child eysight The UV protection levels were found to be inconsistent in many of these specs (Image: Getty Images) Some sunglasses were also found to offer significantly different protection from one lens to the other. Several models including Cute Cat Kids' Sunglasses UV Protection (£1.59 from Amazon), Classic Vintage Holiday Sunglasses UV400 (£3.99 on eBay), Kids' Aviators (£1.16 from AliExpress), Kids £1 Sunglasses (from Temu) and red heart-shaped sunglasses (£5.28 from eBay) all made either misleading claims about their ability to block UV rays or had inconsistent UV filtering. All of the sunglasses tested were found to be missing key information, labels and markings, such as CE or UK Conformity Assessed markings (UKCA), which are required for them to be sold in the UK legally. Which? director of policy and advocacy Rocio Concha said: 'With summer holidays approaching, it is understandable that parents will want to buy their children sunglasses, and kids and parents alike might be tempted by some of the cheap and trendy options sold online. 'Our research shows many of these models are so ineffective as to be dangerous for children to wear and this is a consequence of online marketplaces having no real responsibility or incentive for taking safety seriously. 'The Government's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must be strengthened to include legal responsibilities for online marketplaces to ensure the products they sell on their sites are safe, with heavy fines for those that fall short of the required standards.' An Amazon spokesman said: 'Safety is a top priority, and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. 'We continuously monitor our store and take action to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing non-compliant products and reaching out to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information. 'The products in question have been removed." AliExpress also said it had removed the items that failed Which?'s tests, adding: 'AliExpress takes product safety very seriously and we have strict rules and policies in place to ensure a safe online shopping environment.' A spokeswoman for eBay said: 'Consumer safety is a top priority. We proactively keep our site safe and prevent prohibited listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms for unsafe listings, and AI-supported monitoring by our team of in-house specialists. 'If we find an unsafe product, we remove it immediately and alert buyers, which is the exact approach we took on April 4 2025, before Which? contacted us.' Temu said: 'We take product safety very seriously. All three flagged listings have been removed from the platform pending further review.' Recommended Reading: TikTok said: 'The safety of our customers is of our utmost priority, and we have strict measures in place to ensure that our sellers comply with regulations and safety standards. 'These listings have been removed from our platform.' Shein said: 'We take product safety very seriously and are committed to offering safe and reliable products to its customers. We immediately removed the items from our site as a precaution while we investigate.'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
All the areas giving out FREE white goods including fridges, freezers and washing machines this summer
HOUSEHOLDS can get free white goods including fridges, freezers and washing machines this summer. Essential appliances aren't cheap to come by, with Which? estimating the average price of a fridge freezer is around £800. 1 But you might be able to get help with the up front costs through a giant government fund. The Household Support Fund is worth £742million and has been distributed between councils in England. Further money has been issued to local authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. What help you can get and whether you qualify for support depends on where you live as each council sets its own eligibility criteria. However, in most cases you will be in line for support if you are on a low income, benefits or vulnerable. Some areas are giving hard-up residents free white goods or help towards the cost of them too. We've rounded up some of the councils offering residents help with the cost of essential household appliances. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is offering thousands of hard-up households help. Some can get help covering the cost of white goods such as washing machines and fridges, and even beds for children. The council wouldn't say how much the average price of a white good someone will receive might be. How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills Households requesting help must be referred to the council by someone like children's services, adult services or Age UK. You'll need to be of limited income to be referred. The criteria you must meet is: Single adult in work: Your household income must be below £26,057 (before tax and National Insurance) Two or more adults in work: Your household income must be below £38,870 (before tax and National Insurance) Your household savings must be under £2,000 If you're a pensioner, you can have savings up to £16,000 If you have received help towards the cost of white goods from Blackburn with Darwen Council in the last 12 months, you cannot get help in this latest round. More details on the scheme and how to apply are here - Isle of Wight Council Isle of Wight Council is distributing funding to local organisations to help residents pay for energy-efficient white goods like ovens and fridges. That means if you want help you will have to apply via either your local town or parish council, schools or colleges or a local charity. If you are on a low income or benefits, it's worth contacting the Isle of Wight council to see if you qualify for help. 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Another is that you cannot meet your immediate short-term needs because of an emergency like a fire or flood in your home. For more details and to apply, visit Barking and Dagenham Council Barking and Dagenham Council is distributing support to residents through a number of means including help towards the cost of white goods. The council has said help will only be given to those who need an appliance due to an emergency. To be eligible you need to be living in the borough and struggling with rising living costs like food and energy bills. You also need to prove you have previously taken steps to boost your income by claiming council tax support, housing benefit, Universal Credit or another benefit. More details can be found via What to do if you live outside these areas If you don't live in one of the above areas, check your local council's website to see what help you can get. You might not be able to get help covering the cost of white goods but may be eligible for other help. For example, Middlesbrough Council has started issuing payments worth up to £120 to those on benefits. Meanwhile, households in Reading are in line to receive £125 vouchers in the coming weeks if they receive free school meals, which are paid to families on benefits including Universal Credit. You can find what council area you fall under via Household Support Fund explained Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund. If you're battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline. The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living. Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households. Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments. In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families. Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying. Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income. The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer. The last round ran until the end of March 2025, but was extended. The most current round is running between April 2025 and March 2026.
