Phone chargers sold on Amazon Haul, B&Q and eBay can electrocute and explode, Which? warns shoppers
A new Which? investigation has found potentially lethal knock-off chargers still being sold on online marketplaces seven years after it first exposed the danger they pose to UK consumers.
It bought 15 USB phone chargers from seven online marketplaces and tested them to determine whether they were safe and legal to sell in the UK. Which? found nine chargers bought from Amazon (including Amazon Haul), AliExpress, B&Q Marketplace, Debenhams Marketplace and eBay were so badly manufactured that anyone using them was at risk of receiving an electric shock. Eight of the chargers also posed fire and explosion risks.
All 15 chargers sold by online marketplace sellers were missing key information on the packaging, the charger itself or in the documentation provided. This by itself means that every one of these chargers cannot be sold legally in the UK.
Which? bought an ‘Apple’ USB-C 35W Power Adaptor charger for £11.99. The box was marked with the famous Apple logo, but testing from researchers revealed that it was a cheap and dangerous fake. Arcing sounds were picked up from the fake ‘Apple’ charger after 10 seconds of an electrical strength test. Arcing is when a current jumps between two parts of the electrical circuit, which could cause a fire, lead the product to explode or cause an electric shock.
Researchers opened the charger’s case and found a lump of modelling clay inside it, which they believe was used to give the charger a more weighty, robust and genuine feel. Tellingly, there was a spelling mistake on the charger itself and both it and the documents provided were missing required information such as the UK importer’s postal address. One customer who bought the fake ‘Apple’ charger posted on the listing to say that it had overloaded and ruined their iPad and phone, both of which have stopped charging.
Two unbranded phone chargers were bought from eBay sellers for £2.10 and £2.80. Both posed risks of fire, explosion and electrocution. The distances between parts of the circuits were too small, which could lead to arcing. The plug pins were also too short. For both chargers the packaging, product markings or instructions were missing information that is required for them to be legally sold in the UK.
Which?’s investigation also extended to Amazon’s low cost platform Amazon Haul, where it bought and tested a USB-C charger for £6.99 that proved to be dangerous. The unbranded charger failed electrical safety tests and was found to be a shock and fire risk for anybody using it. The packaging, markings and instructions provided were all missing required information.
Two further unbranded chargers bought from Amazon for £2.99 and £3.99 passed electrical safety tests, but all four chargers bought from Amazon and Amazon Haul were missing key packaging, markings and documentation. None can be legally sold in the UK. The 2-1 Super Fast Charger (£10.99) bought from a seller on B&Q Marketplace also failed safety tests and has the potential to explode, cause a fire or to give users an electric shock.
Parts of the circuitry were too close together and when Which? stress-tested its insulation and robustness, the charger immediately stopped working. It was also badly manufactured with two of the charging pins being too thick, which could damage a mains socket.
The Dual Port 35W charger (£9.99) from Debenhams marketplace was just as bad and failed all of Which?’s electrical safety tests. The inside was weighted down with modelling clay - just like the fake ‘Apple’ charger. The packaging, markings and documentation provided failed to provide the legally required information.
Two chargers bought from sellers on AliExpress for £1.30 and £5.69 could also be dangerous for anyone using them. Parts of the electrical circuitry were too close together on both, which could cause an explosion, fire or an electric shock. Both chargers also stopped working when Which? stress-tested them in a high voltage test. The plug face on one of these was too small to meet the requirements of the relevant standard (BS1363) and both chargers came with insufficient packaging, product markings and documentation.
Chargers bought from sellers on Temu and Shein passed Which?’s safety tests, but both were missing required markings on the product, including details of the UK importer. For this reason none of these four chargers can be sold legally in the UK.
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act, adopted in July 2025, enables the Secretary of State to impose product safety requirements on online marketplaces through secondary legislation, but these have been delayed and the government has only recently consulted on possible changes. The government urgently needs to use these powers to ensure that products such as these are prevented from reaching UK consumers, Which? argues.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, says: “Badly designed electricals like these can have life-altering - even fatal - consequences. Online marketplaces have known about the danger of knock off chargers for the better part of a decade, but consumers continue to be placed at risk. The government must urgently use the new powers it has under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to update product safety legislation and impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces for ensuring the safety of products sold through their third-party sellers, with tough enforcement for those that fall short. By making online marketplaces legally responsible for unsafe products, the government can set a world leading standard for product safety in the digital age.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Online retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
