Potentially harmful gel nail polish imported directly from China is being sold on major online platforms, an expert has warned MPs, criticising Amazon for failing to "hold to account or vet" its sellers.
Richard Knight, lead officer for cosmetics and beauty at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), told the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Wednesday that there are three key products he would actively prevent his own family from using due to significant health risks.
When pressed by Tory MP Kit Malthouse to name these products, Mr Knight responded: "Any UV nail gel imported directly from China, sold on well-known online platforms, which have great potential to cause harm, and so many of them are for professional use only."
He continued, identifying skin lighteners as another concern, noting that while some are American, their regulatory standards differ significantly from the UK, allowing ingredients that would be prohibited here. The third product he highlighted was Kambo, a skin cream derived from the secretions of Amazonian tree frogs.
Mr Knight advised consumers to check product labels, particularly in nail bars. He stated that if a product lacks a UK name and address, it fundamentally violates cosmetics regulations, which require a responsible party within the country to address any issues.
"A lot of those products have no-one in the UK. They’re being sold by Chinese sellers online," he explained. He also cautioned against virtual offices or PO Boxes, which he said many overseas sellers use to circumvent legal requirements, urging consumers to question whether a brand appears credible or an "overseas knock-off".
When asked by Mr Malthouse if a major retail platform was primarily responsible for funnelling these products into the UK, Mr Knight unequivocally named Amazon. "Amazon would be the biggest by miles. They have so many overseas sellers, which they’re not holding to account or vetting," he asserted. He described the situation as a "whack-a-mole" problem, where problematic items are removed only to reappear elsewhere.
However, Sarah Smith, head of regulatory operations at the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, offered a different perspective to the committee. She stated that OPSS takes daily action with online marketplaces to identify and remove unsafe products.
"They have mechanisms that we can trigger to make sure those products are no longer available to UK consumers," Ms Smith said, adding that marketplaces need to deploy their AI and human resources effectively.
When Mr Malthouse reiterated that the committee had heard Amazon was the primary "funneler" of these products, Ms Smith replied: "That’s not what I recognise." She pointed out that there are 44 online marketplaces operating in the UK.
Ms Smith emphasised that OPSS conducts daily controls in the online environment, providing marketplaces with the necessary information to implement proper checks, as this is their responsibility, not the regulator’s. She also mentioned a border control programme involving local government officers who conduct targeted daily checks.
Despite these assurances, Mr Malthouse expressed concern that there was no "certainty" regarding checks in this area. Committee chairwoman Chi Onwurah also noted a "clear contradiction" in the evidence presented regarding the regulation of marketplaces like Amazon and the enforcement powers over imported products.
Amazon has been approached for comment.
