Which? warns unregulated child car seats are reappearing on major online marketplaces

Consumer champion Which? has found more than a dozen lightweight fabric child car seats being offered for sale on popular online marketplaces, warning that the items lack legally required approvals and contain “fundamental flaws” that could put children at risk in a crash.

Researchers identified the unregulated products on sites including eBay, Shein and Little Dreams. Which? said some listings have been removed after its intervention, but warned that the cheap seats — some priced as low as £12.50 — continue to reappear. The consumer group said it conducted crash and usability tests on hundreds of car seats to identify models that meet or exceed legal standards and to highlight unsafe products.

Which? said its testing involves crash tests at speeds tougher than the minimum legal requirement as well as assessments of comfort, ease of installation and cleaning, and the clarity of instructions. Among infant seats, the Silver Cross Dream paired with the Dream i‑Size base scored highest overall. The rear‑facing carrier is approved under the R129/03 i‑Size standard for use from birth to roughly 15 months, and the review praised its front and side impact protection and fit on travel‑system pushchairs.

Other top performers cited by Which? include the Joie i‑Spin Safe, a rotating seat that extends rearward‑facing use from birth to about four years and passed the voluntary Swedish Plus test, which subjects seats to faster impact speeds and stricter stopping conditions. Nuna’s Pipa Urbn also performed well in crash tests and was noted for straightforward installation and comfort, though it is approved only up to about 12 months. For older children, Which? recommended the Britax Römer Kidfix i‑Size for children from about four to 12 years, saying it produced good results across all test criteria and is relatively simple to install.

Which? investigators flagged specific design failings in the allegedly unsafe listings. Problems included an inadequately thin base that fails to raise a child to the correct belt position, harnesses with multiple buckles rather than a single central release, and an absence of side impact protection. The consumer group said these omissions are “fundamental flaws” because they undermine a seat’s ability to restrain and protect a child’s head and torso in frontal or side collisions.

Which? also pointed to the lack of the distinctive orange regulation labels that identify compliance with United Nations economic commission (ECE) standards. Legal requirements in the UK require seats to carry ECE R44–03, ECE R44–04 or ECE R129 markings to be sold as car seats. In some cases, product listings described the items as seats while the full product copy warned against using them in cars.

Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said it was “appalling” that the dangerous seats are reappearing more than a decade after the organisation first exposed similar products. "This is just one in a long list of dangerous products that Which? has identified and have been taken down only for them to later reappear for sale," she said, adding that less affluent households are likely to be most affected until online marketplaces take responsibility for listings.

Safety organisations and manufacturers recommend that parents buy seats that clearly display the relevant ECE approval label and, where possible, purchase from retailers who can offer fitting advice and support. Which? reiterated common safety guidance: do not buy a second‑hand car seat unless the buyer can confirm it has not been involved in a crash and has a full history; ensure instructions are provided in clear English; and be wary of seats that are markedly cheaper than typical market prices.

Which? said its findings are intended to guide parents toward tested, legal options and to press online marketplaces and regulators to curb the sale of items that do not meet established safety standards. The consumer group continues to publish test results and safety advice for parents shopping for infant and child car seats.