AMAZON Marketplace, eBay and Aldi have been slammed by Which? for selling “dangerous” baby sleeping bags that could cause tots to choke, suffocate or overheat.
Twelve out of the 15 baby sleeping bags – chosen because they were the top relevant online search results – failed at least one of the tests or didn’t meet British standards.
Among them were sleeping aids sold by big brands, such as JoJo Maman Bébé and Grobag, as well as third-party sellers on some of the biggest high street retailers.
Baby sleeping bags are thought to be a safer alternative to cot blankets as they prevent babies’ faces from accidentally getting covered during the night, but the research suggests they could actually be putting lives at risk.
Which? lab tests checked for appropriate size neck openings, secure fasteners and buttons, making sure it was free from strangulation hazards.
Tog levels were also tested to ensure babies don’t overheat.
A product was deemed unsafe if it failed even one of the tests.
Seven products were found to have serious failures, potentially putting tots’ lives in danger.
The neck opening on three of the products – one sold by third-party sellers on AliExpress, another on Wish.com and one by Jojo Maman Bébé – was too wide and could lead to the baby slipping down into the bag and suffocating.
Buttons on another sleeping bag sold by a third-party seller on AliExpress could be easily pulled off, posing a choking hazard.
The tog level on a sleeping aid bought from Wish.com exceeded the upper limit by 26 per cent meaning a baby could overheat in the night while wearing it.
A sleeping bag purchased from Etsy failed because it didn’t mention the height and age the bag is designed for, while another sold on eBay had loose threads and free-hanging labels meaning it was a strangulation risk.
Meanwhile, Aldi’s Cloud Baby Sleep Bag and Tomee Tippee’s The Original GroBag were among those that didn’t meet British safety standards due to loose hanging labels.
Two sleeping bags sold on Amazon Marketplace and one on eBay failed to meet official standards due to labelling issues as well.
Only three sleeping bags – from Asda, John Lewis and Mamas & Papas – passed all Which?’s safety tests.
The consumer group believes that the research highlights the need for online marketplaces to take legal responsibility for the standards of products sold by third-party sellers.
Following the investigation, Amazon, AliExpress and eBay have removed all of the baby sleeping bags that failed its tests from their sites.
Natalie Hitchins from Which? said: “Parents will find it completely unacceptable that Which?’s investigation has found such a high number of dangerous products that could pose a potentially life-threatening risk to their baby as it sleeps.
“Consumers must be able to trust that if they buy a product in the UK from a well-known retailer or online marketplace that it will be safe and meet the safety standards required in this country.”
A spokesperson for AliExpress said that it considers issues like the ones raised by Which? to be of “paramount importance”.
They added: “We have policies in place to help identify listings which may infringe our policies and when informed of non-compliant listings, we take swift action.”
Amazon said that it uses proactive measures to stop non-compliant products being listed and monitors products and stores for safety concerns.
It also advises customers to contact the services desk if they have any safety concerns regarding a product bought on the site.
An eBay spokesperson told HOAR: “We work closely with regulators, authorities and consumer organisations including Trading Standards and the Office of Product Safety and Standards, and go beyond the legal requirements for product safety.
“The three listings tested and flagged to us have been removed and action has been taken against the sellers.
“We have also requested that the sellers issue a recall notice.”
JoJo Maman Bébé said that the bag tested was manufactured under the previous standards and the failures are all new recommendations from the new regulations.
A spokesperson added: “The bag was purchased at a time when our stock was transitioning from one standard to another, which took slightly longer than anticipated.”
Meanwhile, an Aldi spokesperson said that its bag complies with all relevant safety standards and that it’s sold thousands of them without receiving any complaints such as the ones raised by Which?.
Mayborn Group, makers of the Original Grobag told Which?: “Following an investigation the label has been found to exceed the requirement of the standard by 3mm.
“The label in question is positioned inside the product, in a location that’s inaccessible to a child and it’s too wide and short to pose a problem. We are confident that there is no safety risk.”
Wish.com did not want to add comment, while Etsy did not respond.
Back in June, Which? found that a third of stair gates designed to keep toddlers safe also failed crucial safety tests.
Last year, Sainsbury’s and Argos recalled a baby sleeping bag over fears is could cause infants to overheat in the night.
The bedtime accessory can be useful in sending your child off to sleep. We’ve put together a round up of the best baby sleeping bags of 2020.
Did you miss our previous article…
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