Thousands of travel adaptors sold online could put holidaymakers at risk of electric shock

A travel adaptor is one of the holiday essentials many Britons pack before jetting off abroad – but a new investigation has uncovered serious safety concerns with products sold on major online marketplaces.Consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First tested 14 adaptors bought from sites including AliExpress, eBay, Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop.Shockingly, every single adaptor failed basic safety checks, with some found to pose risks of electric shock, electrocution and even fire.The products tested included eight universal adaptors with retractable pins, designed to work in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US, as well as six basic adaptors intended for use in specific countries or regions.Universal adaptors must be designed so live electrical parts cannot be accessed.However, the investigation found that six of the eight universal adaptors tested allowed more than one set of plug pins to be exposed and live at the same time while plugged in – meaning users could potentially come into contact with up to 240 volts of electricity. Consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First tested 14 different travel adaptors The exposed live pins could prove fatal if touched with wet hands Another issue discovered was the lack of surge protection in six of the universal travel adaptors that were labelled as having such a feature. The investigation found they had no surge protection device fitted, meaning they would not provide the claimed protection.All eight of the universal devices also failed to meet dimensional and mechanical strength requirements.Concerningly, one of the adaptors sold on Amazon had around 9,000 reviews and one buyer mentioned the plug overheated on its first use. Someone else claimed it destroyed the appliance it was charging. More testing discovered the pins could snap and break off inside the socket under force. This could cause a serious risk of electric shock if a customer tried to remove the pin from the socket. As for the six basic travel adaptors tested, which are designed for use in a specific country or region rather than multiple, there were some common safety failures. The adaptors consisted of eight universal with retractable pins that allow them to be used in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US, and six basicThese included missing safety shutters, which protect users from touching live internal parts. If a plug doesn't have them, travellers could be at risk of electric shock. The investigation also found failures like missing fuses, which increases the risk of fire. Oversized plug pin holes were another issue and make it easier to come into contact with live electrical parts.Meanwhile, some adaptors took three-pin plugs without providing an earth connection which is important for preventing electric shock.Worryingly, one of the basic adaptors on Amazon Marketplace had more than 1,000 reviews and some concerning claims from buyers.One wrote that one of the plugs they received 'fell apart in their hands' and they expressed concerns that they 'could have been electrocuted' if it had fallen apart when they attempted to use it.The product even featured as one of Amazon's Choice, a trusted badge which highlights 'highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately'.The investigation also identified serious fire risks during tests of four universal and two basic adaptors. The testing took place in an external specialist laboratory and looked into the fire resistance and flammability of the plastic. Every single adaptor failed basic safety tests carried out by the organisationAll six plugs failed the 'glow wire' test, which involved testing specific areas of the product's plastic casing to a pre-heated element.Several adaptors burst into flames during the test, with parts of the plastic casing igniting after coming into contact with the heated element. Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: 'Shoppers in the UK shouldn't have to question whether the products they buy might put them at risk, yet our investigation shows that dangerous electrical goods are still finding their way into people's homes through online marketplaces.'Another investigation by the charity less than a year ago found 15 dangerous travel adaptors for sale across TikTok Shop, Amazon Marketplace, eBay and Wish.com.The UK Government is considering whether to introduce new regulations that would mean online marketplaces are held accountable for the safety of products sold on their sites. Mr Capanna added: 'These platforms claim customer safety is a priority, yet our investigations show that, in reality, they perpetually fail to prevent dangerous goods being made freely available to the public.''The Government's consultation on product safety must deliver bold, robust measures that hold online marketplaces accountable. Without this, dangerous products will continue to put consumers' lives at risk.'A spokesman for Amazon said: 'We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations and our own policies. The products identified have been removed from sale. It comes after another investigation last year that found 15 dangerous travel adaptors for sale across TikTok Shop, Amazon Marketplace, eBay and Wish.com'We proactively monitor our store for safety alerts and product recalls and remove relevant products and email customers who purchased them. If we discover a product was undetected by our automated checks, we address the issue immediately and refine our controls.'A spokesman for eBay said: 'We have removed the listings identified by Electrical Safety First and we're carrying out wider checks to find and remove any similar listings.'At eBay, we combine technology, AI-supported monitoring and specialist teams to help maintain a safe and trusted marketplace. We also work closely with regulators to monitor for unsafe products and enhance our prevention efforts. Together, these proactive measures have prevented millions of potentially unsafe items from being listed every year.'A spokesman for AliExpress said: 'Product safety is our top priority at AliExpress. We have removed the three travel adaptor listings identified by Electrical Safety First and are contacting affected customers to initiate a recall through our established channels. 'We have also launched a wider review of universal travel adaptor listings where all plug pins are shown extended at the same time. Any listing with this unsafe characteristic will be restricted from sale until the seller takes corrective action. The UK Government is currently considering holding online marketplaces accountable for the safety of the products sold on the sites'We welcome detailed findings like these and remain committed to tackling product safety issues through our established processes.' According to TikTok, the platform has removed the listings and videos promoting the products. The platform insisted its customers' safety was a priority and it has measures in place so that sellers follow regulations.