Southend-on-Sea Trading Standards

Southend-on-Sea Trading Standards For all consumer and complaints, enquiries and advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

⚠️ Received a text message you think is a scam? Report it.✅ Forward the message to 7726 (it's free of charge).🚨 Over 40,...
01/10/2026

⚠️ Received a text message you think is a scam? Report it.

✅ Forward the message to 7726 (it's free of charge).

🚨 Over 40,700 scams have been removed as a result of suspicious text messages reported by the public.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a Safety Alert for certain baby sleeping bags because of t...
01/10/2026

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a Safety Alert for certain baby sleeping bags because of the risk of overheating and suffocation.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has also today issued a warning to parents and carers to be on high alert for online ads promoting baby products that claim to help with colic, reflux, sleep and soothing.

The alerts concerns baby sleeping bags that do not have arm holes or include a hood. As well as advertisements promoting baby products that claim to help with colic, reflux, sleep and soothing, that promoted potentially dangerous products and practices in ways that could put babies at risk of serious harm or death.

Without armholes to retain a baby in position, the child might slip into the sleeping bag which could result in overheating, suffocation and potentially death. Sleeping bags with hoods may also cover a baby’s nose and mouth and cause similar harm.

59% of the ads the ASA assessed were considered high risk, with claims that sleep or elevation devices can reduce or stop reflux, ease distress, improve sleep or prevent colic and ads that included images of babies strapped into potentially unsafe sleep devices.

NHS guidance and the Lullaby Trust advise that babies should sleep flat on their backs on a firm, flat surface and warn against using inclined or elevated sleep products.

Message to parents:
Be wary of ads promising a quick fix for problems like reflux, colic or poor sleep. If an ad promotes a product that involves positioning or elevating your baby while they sleep, don’t assume it’s safe just because the ad says it can help. Check advice from trusted health and safer-sleep organisations, and if you’re unsure about a product, speak to a healthcare professional.

Do not buy – or stop using – any sleeping bag products that lack armholes or which include a hood for unsupervised baby sleep. Parents and carers who have these products should contact the business that supplied them as they may be entitled to redress.

If you have any concerns about the safety of a product, report this to Trading Standards via 0808 223 1133.

A new excise duty on va**ng products has come into force in the UK today (1 October 2026) to reduce the affordability an...
01/10/2026

A new excise duty on va**ng products has come into force in the UK today (1 October 2026) to reduce the affordability and appeal of va**ng, especially to young people and non-smokers.

Va**ng Products Duty is charged at £2.20 per 10ml of va**ng liquid and will be paid by manufacturers, importers and warehousekeepers approved by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is a commercial decision whether the duty cost is passed on to retailers and consumers.

HMRC has also launched the Va**ng Duty Stamps Scheme. Once fully rolled out, va**ng duty stamps will provide digital traceability throughout the supply chain, enhancing consumer protection, and helping the high street by strengthening the fight against illicit trade.

Product Recall for SHEIN Children’s Wooden Acrylic Rainbow Sensory Blocks as the sand inside the sand-filled blocks may ...
01/10/2026

Product Recall for SHEIN Children’s Wooden Acrylic Rainbow Sensory Blocks as the sand inside the sand-filled blocks may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure.

SKC: sk26062823339701832428

The product has been recalled from end users by SHEIN.

Affected customers have been contacted directly by SHEIN. We recommend owners stop using this product immediately and keep it out of the reach of children. Follow the below instructions for details on disposal and return of the product.

Disposal instructions:
▪️ Stop using the product immediately.
▪️ If the toy is undamaged, place it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store in a secure location out of the reach of children.
▪️ If the toy is damaged and the filling is accessible, clean up sites where the product was used with wet cloths to avoid generating dust. Wear gloves and a mask. Double bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths.
▪️ Keep children and other people away from areas where the sand has been used until the area has been cleaned.
▪️ Return the product where specified by the seller for a full refund.
▪️ If you are unable to return the product to the seller, follow the steps above and contact your local authority / access their website for guidance on safe disposal of asbestos in your area.

Product Recall for Antonia Space Saving Dining Set. The product presents a risk of injuries because the table legs may d...
30/09/2026

Product Recall for Antonia Space Saving Dining Set. The product presents a risk of injuries because the table legs may detach from the tabletop due to a loose bracket. This could cause the table to become unstable or collapse unexpectedly, resulting in the glass tabletop shattering and creating a risk of cuts and lacerations from broken glass, or impact injuries if the table collapses onto a person.

Antonia Space Saving Dining Set
Brand: JD Williams
Model: UK326

The product has been recalled from end users by JD Williams.

Affected customers have been contacted directly by the supplier. If you own this product and have not been contacted, stop using it and contact the supplier for a refund, repair or replacement.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has identified that toothed saw blade attachments, available for sale for us...
30/09/2026

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has identified that toothed saw blade attachments, available for sale for use with angle grinders, are unsafe. These attachments increase the risk of kick back and loss of control of the angle grinder when in use, which could lead to serious injury or fatality. Kick back is caused when the blade snags or strikes an object during operation causing the tool to be suddenly forced backwards towards the operator.

❌️ If you have a toothed saw blade attachment, never use it on an angle grinder!
📞 If the attachment was sold for this purpose, contact the seller for redress.
🚮 Businesses selling saw tooth blades as attachments for angle grinders must remove them from the market immediately as this does not comply with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.

Members of the public are encouraged to report businesses selling these products to us via 0808 223 1133.

Under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, only safe machinery can be placed on the market. Angle grinders and all interchangeable equipment must comply with essential safety requirements. The relevant standard, BS EN 60745-2-3, requires product instructions to bear the following warning: ‘Do not attach a saw chain woodcarving blade or toothed saw blade. Such blades create frequent kickback and loss of control.’

Any attachments intended for use with angle grinders that increase the risk of kick back and loss of control are unable to meet the essential safety requirements and should not be used together.

Consumers and users should only use attachment types on angle grinders that are recommended by the angle grinder manufacturer, and should always follow the instructions provided.

👀 Stay alert if buying a used car from an individual seller, for example through an online marketplace.Make sure you kee...
30/09/2026

👀 Stay alert if buying a used car from an individual seller, for example through an online marketplace.

Make sure you keep a copy of the advert which proves what it said and how the vehicle was described in case there’s a problem later.

✔️ Our top tip is to do a reverse image search of the car in the advert to see if the picture has been used before.

Link in the comments for more advice to help you stay ⤵️

⚠️ Could you spot a deepfake scam?Deepfakes are highly convincing fake videos, photos, or audio of real or fake people, ...
29/09/2026

⚠️ Could you spot a deepfake scam?
Deepfakes are highly convincing fake videos, photos, or audio of real or fake people, created using artificial intelligence (AI).

Criminals also use AI to write scam messages in perfect English, by the thousand. These fakes are very convincing.

A few simple habits can help you stay protected.

Product Recall for Zebra Prescription Printer Power Supply Units. The products present a risk of fire occurring at the p...
29/09/2026

Product Recall for Zebra Prescription Printer Power Supply Units. The products present a risk of fire occurring at the power lead where it enters the appliance.

The product was subject to a product recall in 2016. The recall period has been expanded to include PSUs manufactured between October 1, 2006 and December 31, 2012.

Model: GK420d
Range of Desktop Printer models that may be affected: AP###, GC4###, GK4###, GK888xx, GX4###, GT8xx, HC100, H/LP/TLP/R###x (282x, 284x, 384x), PS4000, T2###, Thermal 284x, ZP4xx, ZP5xx
Range of Card Printer models that may be affected: BR1###, CN1###, J1###, P1###, SC1###, WM1###, ZXP Series 1, ZXP Series 3x

PSUs that serve as the power source for the above-named models of Zebra printers have been identified as potentially containing an improperly mixed phosphorus compound that is used in the flame retardant resin in the DC power supply connectors. This deficiency in the phosphorus based connector resin, when combined with moisture and humidity over time, can potentially lead to overheating or a fire hazard.

Users are advised to check if their PSU is affected and refer to the manufacturer’s recall page for further information.

Product Safety Report for Tesla Powerwall 2. The product presents a risk of fire as certain battery cells within affecte...
29/09/2026

Product Safety Report for Tesla Powerwall 2. The product presents a risk of fire as certain battery cells within affected units may develop internal defects over time. An investigation identified that battery cells manufactured by a third party may contain excessive lithium plating, which can lead to cracking of the cell casing. This may result in an internal short circuit and subsequent thermal runaway, increasing the risk of the battery overheating and catching fire.

Tesla has remotely discharged most affected Powerwall 2 units pending replacement. Any remaining affected units are being discharged by Tesla technicians.

Customers should ensure their Powerwall 2 remains online and check the Tesla app for a notification confirming whether their unit is affected. If a replacement is required, customers should contact their original Tesla Certified Installer to arrange installation.

Affected Powerwall 2 units will be replaced free of charge. If the original installer is unavailable, customers should contact Tesla Support on 01628 450630.

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