A third of children’s sunglasses bought from popular online marketplaces are unsafe and do not provide the required protection, an investigation has found.
Researchers discovered certain designs – which are brightly-coloured and appealing to children – failed safety tests and are illegal to sell in the UK.
Experts have warned these could be ‘dangerous’ for youngsters to wear and could even lead to cataracts or potentially blindness.
The team from Which? bought 20 pairs of children’s sunglasses from Amazon, AliExpress, eBay, Temu, TikTok and Shein.
Many of the models are designed to be enticing to children, with heart or cat-shaped lenses or vintage styles, and can be purchased for as little as £1.
Tests revealed six of the models either made misleading claims about their ability to block UV rays or had inconsistent UV filtering.
UV protection levels were found to be dangerously low for two of the pairs tested, despite claiming to have full UV protection, and some offered significantly different protection from one lens to the other.
All of the 20 sunglasses tested were found to be missing key information, labels and markings which are required for them to be sold in the UK legally.
Which?’s ‘Don’t Buy’ list: From left to right (top row): Pink Retro Love Heart shape UV400 (£2.83, eBay); Red Heart Pattern UV400 (£5.28 eBay); Pilot Aviators (£1.16, AliExpress). Bottom row – Classic Vintage Holiday Sunglasses (£3.99, eBay), Trendy & Vibrant (white/red/rainbow) (£1, Temu); Cute Cat Kids’ Sunglasses UV Protection (£1.59, Amazon)
Which? is urging parents to avoid buying cheap children’s sunglasses from online marketplaces, especially if they appear to be unbranded.
They recommend sticking to high street stores, where compliance with safety rules is much more stringent.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: ‘With summer holidays approaching, it is understandable that parents will want to buy their children sunglasses.
‘Kids and parents alike might be tempted by some of the cheap and trendy options sold online.
‘Our research shows many of these models are so ineffective as to be dangerous for children to wear and this is a consequence of online marketplaces having no real responsibility or incentive for taking safety seriously.’
Children are particularly vulnerable to UV light as their eyes are still developing and they spend more time outdoors than adults.
Ineffective sunglasses can cause serious damage to a child’s eye and overexposure to UV over time can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration.
The investigation underlines the need for tough new laws to make online marketplaces take responsibility for the products they sell, she said.
Experts warned that ineffective sunglasses can cause serious damage to a child’s eye and overexposure to UV over time can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration
Parents should try and avoid any unbranded products, including brands that only appear to have a presence on marketplaces – including toys, electronics, cosmetics and healthcare.
‘The government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must be strengthened to include legal responsibilities for online marketplaces to ensure the products they sell on their sites are safe, with heavy fines for those that fall short of the required standards,’ she added.
Advice for buying children’s sunglasses includes choosing recognised brands, opting for dark ‘category 3’ lenses, looking for UV400 protection and picking robust frames.
All online sites said they have removed the products that failed Which?’s tests, pending further review.
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