Unsafe baby products remain on sale via Amazon and TikTok, Which? finds

Leading consumer watchdog Which? has identified numerous hazardous baby products being sold through prominent online marketplaces including Amazon and TikTok, despite existing safety notices warning against their use. The investigation uncovered items such as infant pillows, sleeping bags and feeding equipment that fail to meet essential safety standards, many of which have been linked to risks of suffocation, strangulation or other serious harm to babies under twelve months. The discovery exposes critical vulnerabilities in the regulation of digital trading platforms, where third-party sellers can continue to distribute dangerous goods with limited oversight. For local authorities and safeguarding partners, this raises pressing concerns about how families accessing early years services can be better protected from harmful products that may appear legitimate through familiar retail channels, particularly when household budgets are stretched and parents seek affordable options. This latest evidence strengthens calls for stronger legislative frameworks governing online marketplaces, ensuring they bear equivalent responsibility to high street retailers for the safety of products sold via their platforms. Cabinet members with responsibility for safeguarding and early years provision may wish to consider how local trading standards resources, health visitors and family hubs can help alert families to these risks whilst national policy catches up with the reality of digital commerce.