More than ten years after consumer watchdog Which? first exposed potentially deadly children's car seats, hazardous products continue to appear on popular online shopping platforms.
A recent investigation by the consumer organisation discovered more than 12 examples of these illegal seats available for purchase on websites including eBay, Shein, Little Dreams and more.
Trading standards authorities have previously labelled these items as "killer car seats" due to their complete inability to protect children during vehicle collisions.
The flimsy fabric seats, which retail for as little as £12.50 to under £40, present a stark contrast to legitimate car seats that typically begin at approximately £80.
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Many of the car seats uncovered in the investigation were recalled more than 10 years ago (stock image)
|GETTY
This significant price difference raises concerns that households facing financial pressures might unknowingly purchase these dangerous alternatives.
Which? researchers uncovered these products across multiple well-known e-commerce sites during their latest investigation.
The organisation expressed particular worry about cash-strapped families who might be drawn to these budget options whilst grappling with rising living costs.
Police officers have also encountered these hazardous seats during vehicle safety inspections, confirming their presence on UK roads.
The police warned that low-income families could be enticed to buy dangerous products because they are cheaper
|DREAMS
Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, stated: "It is appalling that these deadly car seats are reappearing on online marketplaces more than a decade after Which? first exposed them, but it is not surprising."
She added that this represents just one example from an extensive catalogue of hazardous items that resurface for sale after being removed, despite having critical safety failures.
The products lack proper side impact protection, leaving youngsters exposed to potentially fatal head injuries during lateral collisions.
Multiple harness buckles replace the standard single-release mechanism, potentially hampering emergency rescue efforts following an accident, in addition to featuring inadequate base thickness, failing to properly position children at the correct height for seatbelt placement across their laps.
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Car seat manufacturer Britax demonstrated the catastrophic consequences using a crash test dummy representing a three-year-old child. During a 30mph impact simulation, the dummy was flung through the vehicle's windscreen when the seat's straps failed.
These products also lack the mandatory orange labels indicating compliance with R44 or R129 safety regulations required for legal sale in the UK.
PC Rachael Wonfor from Warwickshire Police discovered these dangerous devices during a vehicle safety inspection in Rugby, adding: "I was not prepared for the frightening contraptions fitted in one vehicle I checked.
"Ultimately, these harnesses were not only illegal but would offer a child no protection in the event of a crash."
eBay said it was improving its monitoring systems with AI
|EBAY
The consumer organisation is now demanding secondary regulations that would establish explicit responsibilities for online marketplaces to block unsafe product sales, supported by substantial penalties and strict enforcement measures.
Davies emphasised that without robust secondary regulations, e-commerce platforms would persist in endangering lives by permitting illegal product sales.
A spokesperson for eBay said: "Consumer safety is a top priority for eBay. We work diligently to prevent prohibited listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms for unsafe items, and AI-supported monitoring by in-house specialists, who work closely with regulators and Trading Standards.
"We swiftly removed these listings and notified buyers, and we continue to strengthen our preventative measures."
Shein told Which? that it immediately removed the listing from its website once it was notified of the danger
|SHEIN
Similarly, a spokesperson for Shein said the company takes product safety incredibly seriously, noting that the product had been mislabelled by a third-party seller.
They added: "Upon being notified, Shein immediately removed it from the site. Shein vendors are required to comply with Shein's code of conduct and stringent safety standards and must also abide by the relevant laws and regulations of the markets where we operate.
"Shein has taken action against the seller of the product according to the penalties set out in our guidelines."
Little Dreams told Which? that it would review the product in question, remove the listing and "conduct a thorough internal investigation to understand how this occurred."