2024-01-03 21:05:35
Published3. January 2024, 10:05 p.m.
Danger: Beware of cheap electronic items on Temu!
Several fires occurred in 2023 in Aargau due to batteries and chargers purchased via the Chinese online sales giant. The police issue a warning.
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It’s easy to be tempted by a cheap item on Chinese online platforms. But beware of quality and danger, sometimes.
CHTalos
Are you one of the many Swiss who have already been tempted by the Chinese site Temu and its ultra-cheap gadgets of all kinds? If so, be careful, especially if you have fallen for a smartphone charger or portable speakers for less than 10 francs! In fact, the Aargau cantonal police have just issued a warning against purchasing this type of item on this platform.
In a video posted on TikTok, a police officer calls out to Internet users: “Have you recently ordered anything on Temu? So you must listen carefully to what follows.” And to explain, against a backdrop of images of fire, that cheap devices from Asia can lead to “potentially fatal” situations, because they are likely to catch fire or even explode.
Fire cases
“Last year, the Aargau cantonal police recorded several cases in which inexpensive items such as chargers, batteries and other electrical devices caused a major fire,” explains spokesperson Corina Winkler. What is the problem? The quality is often poor. And the CE marking, which indicates that a product complies with European safety, health and environmental requirements, is regularly absent, or even counterfeit, according to the police. Not to mention the standards that are not respected.
If Temu is targeted by the Aargau police, all cheap platforms, such as Shein, Ali Express, etc., are in the crosshairs. “But Temu is currently ultra-aggressively on TikTok or Instagram by offering discount codes with which you can buy even cheaper,” underlines Corina Winkler. Marketing that ends up paying off.
Rare cases on the French side
On the French side, cases seem rare at the moment. “In general, we have a few cases of short circuits on devices from various retailers and which are not Euro-CE compatible, therefore not compliant with the standards of our country,” explains the Cantonal Insurance Establishment (ECA) of Vaud. Who recalls, however, that, for any online purchase, “the buyer must check the origin and ensure that the instructions or explanation of the product display the safety and protection standard applied”.
Toys also turn out to be dangerous
It’s not just electronic items that can be dangerous. Toys are also affected. This fall, the Swiss Toy Association tested 18 of the best-selling products on Temu and its competitor Shein. Only three were safe for little ones. The catch: foreign online stores are not subject to Swiss legislation. “They can therefore offer products that are not marketable here,” recalls the Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs.
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