TikTok and Temu Remove Hazardous Heaters Amid Safety Concerns

TikTok and Temu have withdrawn low-cost electric heaters from their online platforms following revelations by Which? They could potentially explode or ignite house fires.

Which? We conducted tests on eight heaters, with the cheapest priced at £7.20, and found that most did not meet UK safety standards. The consumer group emphasized that these heaters, some endorsed by influencers on TikTok, posed significant safety risks to users.

Both TikTok and Temu emphasised the importance of customer safety, leading to the removal of hazardous items from their sales platforms. However, despite their actions, which? It was noted that similar listings had surfaced in their absence.

Temu and TikTok’s Shop platform have emerged as competitors to established online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, attracting millions of UK shoppers with seemingly budget-friendly products. Which? Stressed the necessity for better regulation of electric heaters, asserting that the government should enforce greater legal accountability on online marketplaces to prevent unsafe products from entering households.

Influencers promoting these heaters have also come under scrutiny. TikTok Shop products frequently feature in creators’ videos, and Which? Identified influencer posts promoting potentially hazardous heaters in TikTok search results.

Lesley Rudd, CEO of Electrical Safety First, urged influencers to shoulder responsibility for their recommendations, emphasising their moral obligation to ensure the safety of the products they endorse.

Acknowledging the broken state of current regulations, Rudd highlighted the vulnerability of consumers shopping on online platforms, calling for legislative updates to protect against dangerous electrical products.

Which? We conducted tests on five portable heaters from TikTok Shop and three from Temu, with only one deemed safe for household use and legal for UK sale.

A Temu spokesperson expressed regret over the safety issues identified by Which?, emphasising their swift removal of the hazardous heaters and prioritising customer safety. Similarly, TikTok underscored its commitment to consumer safety, asserting its proactive approach to removing merchants or products violating its policies.