The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has published new research which explores how UK consumers use and interact with online marketplaces. The study aimed to understand consumers awareness and trust in ecommerce platforms to provide insights from focus groups involving over 2000 participants.

Key findings include:

• Over half of consumers could distinguish between online marketplaces/ecommerce and traditional retail sites/physical stores, while 44% had little or no understanding of the difference.
• Most consumers relied on product reviews and descriptions as indicators of safety. Comments highlighted which platforms were perceived as most trustworthy.
• Only 13% of consumers actively looked for official safety marks.
• 58% used reviews as a means for checking the product was safe.
• 26% did not check at all, assuming products were safe.

Implications for businesses

This research underscores the UK government’s focus on product safety in online marketplaces and ecommerce, and highlights the importance of clear, transparent product information.

UKFT offers tailored member business support, guides, and resources on the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) to help brands ensure their product is safe for the consumer market. For support, contact compliance@ukft.org.

UKFT will continue monitoring developments in product safety and online marketplace regulation to assist members in staying compliant with their obligations. UKFT members can discuss global product safety, labelling, flammability, chemical compliance and product testing with the UKFT Compliance team.

Read the full OPSS report here