The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has issued a Christmas gift safety warning about products sold on online marketplaces.

CTSI is working alongside the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for its <a href="https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/news-room/2020/ctsi-issues-c...">campaign</a> about buying safe toys online this Christmas.

With COVID-19 measures in place, many expect online sales will surge as consumers avoid the high street. A  survey conductedby Electrical Safety First (ESF) discovered that 58% of UK consumers would shop on online marketplaces, while 53% said they would shop online more than before. The potential impact of unsafe products sold online has never been higher.

A 2020 study by the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) found that out of 34 toys purchased on Amazon, ten were illegal, and 18 were unsafe. The findings were in addition to a test purchase of 100 toys on the platform in 2019, which revealed that 28 toys were illegal and 18 were unsafe. All of the toys purchased by BTHA were from third-party sellers on the Amazon marketplace. BTHA found similar issues with toys sold on other popular online marketplaces such as eBay and AliExpress.

It's not only toys that are of concern - last year, consumer publication Which? discovered that almost half of Christmas tree lights sold through online marketplaces were unsafe. The study also found that 66% of electrical products purchased on online marketplaces failed crucial safety tests..