Major update as eBay announces sales restrictions on two items for UK customers

EBay has announced sales restrictions on two items for those buying and selling in the UK.

The website has announced that from October 31, it will limit the sale of e-bikes and e-bike batteries on its UK platform. After this date, only "eligible business sellers" will be permitted to list these items for sale.

An eBay spokeswoman stated: "Consumer safety is a top priority for eBay. To further improve consumer safety on our marketplace, from 31 October 2024, only eligible business sellers will be able to list e-bikes and e-bike batteries for sale in the UK.

"This policy change is in addition to the CE audits of listings offering e-bike batteries that we started last year, where we check that the products sellers are offering have valid CE documentation."

This decision comes as there is growing concern over the safety of such products, with an increase in fire incidents linked to e-bike batteries. The London Fire Brigade reported a significant rise in e-bike fires in 2023, with a 78% increase from the previous year.

They have urged users to ensure their batteries are safe following the classification of battery packs as "dangerous" by the UK's regulatory body.

Decision has come after tragedies

Additionally, a coroner has called for government intervention after an inquest into the death of Abdul Oryakhel, who died trying to escape a fire caused by an overheated e-bike battery pack. Maria Voisin, senior coroner for Avon, made the call for action following the tragic incident.

In a tragic event in June, Scott Peden, a 30 year old grieving father from Cambridge, urged for immediate action on e-bike safety following the loss of his family in a fire just one year prior. A devastating blaze, ignited by an e-bike battery purchased online, claimed the lives of Mr Peden's partner Gemma, aged 31, their children Lilly, who was eight, and Oliver, aged four, as well as their two pet dogs.

Scott spent a month in a coma with ongoing serious injuries as a result of the fire. Electrical Safety First, a charity advocating for safer electrical standards and which has been calling for independent third-party certification for e-bikes and e-scooters, including their batteries, applauded eBay's initiative to tackle this escalating danger.

An Electrical Safety First spokesperson commended eBay's actions: "We are encouraged to see eBay take proactive steps in an attempt to reduce the risk of substandard batteries entering people’s homes, as they pose a serious risk of fire if they fail.

"Whilst this voluntary move is welcome, we continue to call for online marketplaces to be legally obligated to take reasonable steps to ensure products sold via their sites are safe and we hope the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will mandate this.

"This legislation must also be used to prevent battery fires by introducing mandatory third-party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to stop poor quality products entering the market. It should also introduce more robust standards for conversion kits and regulations for charging."

Insurance giant Aviva has reported a 7% rise in fire-related customer claims over the last year, which are being attributed to lithium-ion batteries found in common rechargeable gadgets such as mobile phones, tablets, power tools, and e-bikes. The insurer's latest figures, encompassing data from both 2022 and 2023, include severe fire damage to a home caused by an e-bike fitted with a second-hand battery that was left on charge unobserved in a bedroom.

Additional investigations by Aviva also reveal that around one in nine people in the UK have encountered a fire (11%) or explosion (11%) in their residence, caused by a lithium-ion battery or related device. Hannah Davidson, Aviva's senior underwriting manager, said: "For the majority of people, devices powered by lithium-ion batteries such as mobile phones, laptops, power tools, and e-bikes are safe to use. However, these batteries can present a significant fire risk if the battery fails, is faulty, or is charged incorrectly.

"Likewise, with consumers buying lithium-ion batteries and lithium-powered devices from second-hand retailers or sellers, there is increased potential for batteries to be damaged or faulty on purchase, for the battery in the device to be different to the original, or for the charger supplied with the device to be the incorrect charger."