On the trail of cheap and dangerous products – NATCP and NCPHP investigate global online marketplaces

Official experience shows that the rate of complaints and non-compliance is significantly higher for goods ordered from third countries, primarily from online marketplaces, than for products originating in the European Union. As more and more consumers have been buying products on international platforms in recent years, increased monitoring of the most popular online marketplaces has become necessary.

During the joint action, 100 products purchased through test purchases from TEMU, SHEIN, AliExpress, and Alibaba will be inspected and laboratory tested. If a product does not meet legal requirements or proves to be dangerous, we will ensure that it is removed from the platform. This will effectively prevent consumers from obtaining imported products that may pose a risk to their health or safety.

During inspections, the two authorities examine products that are popular among families and commonly found in households on a 50-50 basis. The NATCP will thus examine various toys—from stuffed animals to plastic and musical toys to baby rattles—as well as frequently ordered electronic items such as LED lamps, chargers, fans, hair dryers, and plastic bags containing phthalates, which are widely used in everyday life and often harmful to health.

At the same time, the NCPHP focuses on products that may pose a risk to consumers primarily due to their chemical content. This means that jewelry, air fresheners, plastic products, and various household chemical products, among other things, are inspected and tested in laboratories.

The NATCP and NCPHP will publish the results of the inspections at regular intervals over the coming weeks on their websites and social media channels. The main objective of the joint investigation is to effectively filter out all products from the market that may pose a danger or deception to consumers and to ensure that Hungarian consumers, especially children, have access only to reliable and safe goods.

As the number of products available on the online marketplaces investigated is virtually unlimited, it is important to raise consumer awareness and increase consumer confidence so that in future everyone can make more transparent, informed and confident decisions when purchasing products from third countries.