Amazon tells customers to stop using suspect Marketplace car seats
Panorama investigation finds three seats lack safety labels and showcase worrying design
Amazon is on the backfoot after a Panorama investigation found that at least three car seats available on the Marketplace platform bear a marked similarity to those found lacking by trading standards in 2013.
Said car seats were found not to hold up to the kind of conditions they would be subject to in a real-life car crash. One example tore apart in a simulated 30mph crash, for example.
Panorama purchased three of the suspect car seats, where listing prices started as low as £3.99. The show found that not only did the car seats appear similar in construction to the design pulled by Amazon seven years ago, but they omitted the safety labels which have been a requirement since last year.
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Only one third-party seller replied to the programme’s questions – and that was to say that they didn’t make the product themselves.
While Trading Standards are investigating again, Amazon says it has removed the products in question. “Safety is extremely important to us and we regret that these products were available from third-party sellers using our stores,” Amazon told the BBC in a statement.
“After a thorough investigation, we identified the issue and are removing these products, and we’re also contacting each customer who purchased one of these products to explain the situation and issue a refund.
“We will continue to leverage and improve our tools and technology to ensure only safe and compliant car seats are available worldwide.”
A refund won’t be much consolation to those who have inadvertently risked their child’s safety while trying to be responsible parents, but it’s better than nothing. The episode of Panorama airs tonight on BBC One.