'Killer' child car seats still on sale 10 years after warnings, watchdog finds
Which? says illegal, non-EU-approved fabric car seats continue to appear on marketplaces including Shein and eBay; consumer group calls for stronger rules and enforcement
Illegal children's car seats that safety campaigners and trading standards officers described as "killers" more than a decade ago are still appearing for sale on major online marketplaces, consumer group Which? said on Thursday.
Which? said it found more than a dozen listings for fabric-style car seats on platforms including eBay, Shein, Wish, ManoMano and Little Dreams. The group warned that the products had safety defects and were not EU-approved, meaning they are illegal to use in the UK and could put children at risk in a crash.
UK regulations require child car seats to carry a clear orange approval label with R44 or R129 codes to show they have passed the relevant EU safety tests. Which? said the fabric seats it identified lacked those markings and included products marketed for as little as £12.50, compared with approved seats that typically retail for more than £80.
Which? pointed to testing carried out by Surrey Trading Standards in 2014 after which several fabric seats were condemned. In one crash test, a car seat fell to pieces in a simulated 30mph impact and the crash-test dummy representing a three-year-old was projected through the windscreen when the straps securing the seat failed. At the time, trading standards officers described the products as "killers."
The consumer group said some current online listings contained explicit warnings against using the product in a car, even as the same listings marketed the items as child seats. One eBay listing found by Which? stated: "It is best not to use it on high-speed cars. We recommend that it be used in non-motorized products such as electric vehicles, two-wheelers... Because it is not a child safety seat that complies with traffic." Which? said the presence of such listings underlined the need for platforms to block unsafe goods proactively rather than rely on user reports.
Which? called for clearer legal duties on online marketplaces, stronger penalties and more rigorous enforcement to prevent the sale of unsafe products. "It is appalling that these deadly car seats are reappearing on online marketplaces more than a decade after Which? first exposed them," Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, said. "Children's lives will be at risk until online retailers are forced to comply with product safety regulations."
Safety campaigners and charities echoed the call for vigilance. Stuart Howarth, a car seat safety adviser at Good Egg Safety, said he had seen children using seats with "no support to the body" and "no way of securing it to the car safely." He said such products were effectively no better than "a settee cushion" in terms of protection. Janis James, chief executive of Good Egg Safety, urged parents not to "skimp" when buying car seats.
Retailers named in Which?'s investigation said they took safety seriously and removed the listings flagged by the consumer group. Shein said the product was mislabelled by a third-party seller and that it had removed the item and taken action against the vendor. eBay said it had swiftly removed listings and notified buyers, adding that consumer safety is a top priority. ManoMano and Little Dreams said their platforms were used by third-party sellers and that they relied on sellers to resolve product or fulfilment issues.
Which? warned that rising living costs could tempt families to buy cheaper, non-approved seats and urged parents to look for retailers that provide fitting advice and guidance. The group also advised against buying secondhand seats, which may have been involved in a crash and could have hidden damage.
Regulators have limited powers to police listings across the internet, and consumer groups say enforcement is inconsistent. Which? wants lawmakers to impose a clear and robust duty on online marketplaces to prevent the sale of unsafe products and to back that duty with significant penalties and active enforcement. The group said that without such changes, dangerous car seats are likely to continue to appear on the UK market.
Images showing examples of car seats and approval labels used by Which? are included in this report to illustrate what a certified orange approval label looks like and the types of products under scrutiny.
Industry and safety groups continue to recommend that parents buy only seats marked with R44 or R129 approval codes and that they seek professional fitting if unsure. Which? said more stringent platform responsibilities and better enforcement would reduce the risk posed by illegal products and protect families from potentially deadly defects.