ITV Tonight Puts Spotlight On Dangers Of Defective Goods

By Rob Dixon

A new investigation into household appliance safety and the recall of such items must lead to an overall improvement in standards which keeps the general public safe from any possible risks, according to a product liability expert.

ITV’s Tonight programme is set to air a documentary called How Safe Is Your Kitchen? later today (July 4th) which raises serious concerns over the adequacy of current product recall systems, with experts claiming that the average success rate for recalls is between 10 and 20 per cent.

According to ITV News, the Electrical Safety Council also warns there are potentially millions of products with safety concerns still present in homes across the UK. Specific issues are referenced in relation to certain models of fridge freezer, tumble dryer and cooker manufactured by Beko.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist product liability team, which represents people who have been injured as a result of defective appliances and goods, has welcomed the new calls for better measures to be put in place.

David Urpeth, a Partner and expert in product liability claims at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We have seen in numerous cases the terrible impact that faults with appliances can have and the issues raised by ITV in relation to the current regulations in place regarding recalls are clearly a massive concern.

“A system needs to be implemented that ensures appliance manufacturers have to take every possible measure to recall products deemed to be of potential risk, while any company which fails on this front should be properly held to account.

“Perhaps more importantly, we would urge manufacturers to ensure that the problems which can emerge are avoided in the first instance through thorough testing and assessment of appliances. Avoiding these issues from the outset would be a vital step towards keeping consumers and the general public safe.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Defective Product Claims