Dangerous children's car seats that risk lives are being sold across major UK online platforms, a Which? investigation has found. Trading Standards authorities have termed these products "killer car seats" due to their extreme danger to children.
The consumer group discovered unregulated car seats for sale on eBay, Shein, Wish, Little Dreams and ManoMano without required orange certification labels. Without these markings, parents cannot verify the seats have been tested to legal safety standards.
Price pressure on families
The illegal car seats were priced between £12.50 and £40, significantly below the £80 starting price for certified models. This raises fears that families under financial pressure may unknowingly choose dangerous alternatives.
Which? first exposed similar flimsy fabric seats in 2014 that collapsed in crash tests, prompting their removal at the time. Metro reports this represents a recurring cycle, with the same dangerous products reappearing 10 years after the initial discovery and removal.
Serious safety defects
The uncertified seats contain multiple life-threatening defects. They feature thin seat bases, multiple harness buckles instead of a single central release point, and lack essential side impact protection to prevent head trauma.
WalesOnline reports a police officer discovered these dangerous harness systems during a car seat checking event in Rugby, with parents completely unaware their seats were illegal. The faulty designs can make it difficult to rescue a child quickly in a crash emergency.
Platform responses
All contacted platforms removed the dangerous listings after being flagged by Which?. eBay said they "swiftly removed the listings" and updated their safety measures accordingly.
Shein confirmed the product category is "banned across Shein sites globally" and dealt with the violation immediately. Wish and Little Dreams also confirmed removal of all highlighted products, though ManoMano maintained it acts only as a "technical intermediary."
Expert safety advice
Experts advise parents to check any seat has an approval label showing compliance with ECE R44-03, R44-04 or R129 standards. They recommend avoiding secondhand models and being cautious of unusually cheap options.
Which? is urging the government to introduce stronger regulations giving online marketplaces direct responsibility for ensuring goods meet safety requirements following the recent Product Regulation and Metrology Act.
Sources used: "Guardian", "Metro", "WalesOnline" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
