Product Defect Experts Give Their Advice For Buying Real and Safe Goods

Product defect experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell give their top five tips for buying electrical goods on the biggest shopping event of the year.

The annual retail event, Black Friday, falls on Friday 25th November this year – which sees thousands of UK shoppers flooding to the high street or online to find the best deals for Christmas presents.  

Electrical Safety First, a charity dedicated to the improvement of product safety, has found that around nine million UK shoppers have purchased a fake electrical product as a Christmas gift in the past. 

Matthew Newbould, expert product liability lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield office, said:

Expert Opinion

“Sometimes it can be really hard to tell the difference between counterfeit products and genuine items. Buying a fake electrical product can pose a serious safety threat from batteries leaking to products overheating and exploding.

“We have seen first-hand consumers who have experienced buying fake or poorly manufactured goods and have suffered devastating injury as a result.

“It is very important to understand what you’re looking for when buying electrical gifts this Christmas season to ensure that your presents for family and friends are genuine and safe.” Matthew Newbould - Associate Solicitor

Irwin Mitchell’s top tips for buying electrical goods on Black Friday are:

1) Check that the company you are buying from is reputable. If buying online, Trading Standards recommend looking for a professional website, with a landline contact number, details of a head office, and accurate spelling and grammar as evidence that the company is legitimate.

2) Look for the CE mark on all parts of the product. All products imported into Europe are required to carry the CE mark as evidence of safety compliance. If the CE mark is missing, the product may be unsafe or a counterfeit.

3) Be careful if replacing components such as the charger, or if you are buying individual components separately. Some devices which may appear to be compatible with one another, may not be, and could create a risk of fire or explosion. Always check with the seller that the individual parts are suitable for use with one another.

4) Register your warranty for the product with the manufacturer. Registration of your warranty is the currently the only way the manufacturer can obtain your details and notify you in the event that a product recall or a safety notice is required.

5) Buy with a credit card if possible. That way, if there is a problem with the product, you will have additional legal protection under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, including in some cases the right to seek compensation from your credit provider, rather than the seller or manufacturer.

Irwin Mitchell represents hundreds of clients who have suffered injuries and damage to property as a result of defective products. In many cases, the damage caused has been life changing.

The law firm’s #SafetySmart campaign raises awareness of inadequately designed or poorly manufactured products and aims to strengthen the laws to protect consumers in the UK.