UOKiK warns. Dangerous chemicals in stores
“In 2023, all Trade Inspection inspectorates checked whether the products available on the market did not contain banned chemicals or substances permitted for trading with restrictions. Experts at the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection Laboratory in Łódź examined a total of 165 batches of bedding, clothing, footwear, fancy goods, tailoring accessories and exercise accessories.” – the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) said in a statement.
Products offered by 154 entrepreneurs were checked: 16 producers, 4 importers, 17 wholesalers and 117 retail outlets.
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) explained that inspections of the content of certain chemical substances take place periodically and are continued this year. Entrepreneurs for inspection are selected based on market analysis, results of previous inspections, and signals from consumers or other market participants.
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection prohibits the sale of dangerous products
According to the announcement, in 2023, 20 batches of metal clothing accessories and clothing with such accessories were tested for nickel content. Over 100 batches of bedding were tested for formaldehyde content, and 25 batches of clothing, footwear and fancy goods made of “artificial leather” were tested for the presence of cadmium and lead. The tests also concerned the presence of phthalates – 20 batches of exercise accessories made of polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane or with elements made of these plastics were tested.
“We found irregularities in 12 out of 165 batches, i.e. over 7%.“- informed the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.
In eight batches of exercise accessories (balls, mat, skipping rope, dumbbells) the content of phthalates was exceeded. The highest exceedance, at over 32%, was found in exercise dumbbells; permissible content is no more than 0.1%. In the case of four batches of bedding, exceeded formaldehyde concentrations were detected. The highest exceedance, above 600 mg/kg, was discovered in one of the bedding sets. The permissible concentration is no more than 75 mg/kg.
The inspection resulted in four decisions prohibiting entrepreneurs from further selling their products and 12 decisions obliging entrepreneurs to reimburse the costs of laboratory tests performed.
“The Trade Inspection forwarded information about irregularities to the local competent authorities of the State Sanitary Inspection, which may act within its own competences, and also sent 5 letters with post-inspection conclusions to producers, importers or suppliers of the questioned products. As a result of the inspection, most entrepreneurs took corrective actions, e.g. the questioned products were withdrawn from sale,” the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection informed.
