Online lighting products catch fire in Australian safety tests

Consumers buying lighting products from online marketplaces risk serious danger, as a new report reveals nearly three-quarters of items fail Australian safety standards. The Lighting Council of Australia (LCA) assessed 131 lighting products from popular sites like Temu, AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, and Kogan, finding 73% non-compliant.

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Even armed with laboratory evidence of serious safety defects, a regulator would struggle to identify the responsible supplier, compel a recall, or prevent the same product being re-listed the following day under a different seller name.

Independent laboratory tests on three downlights showed all failed safety requirements, catching fire when exposed to heat and flame. Two samples were destroyed during high-voltage testing. The report highlighted that two of the failed products could not be identified, traced, or recalled due to the absence of a model number. "Even armed with laboratory evidence of serious safety defects, a regulator would struggle to identify the responsible supplier, compel a recall, or prevent the same product being re-listed the following day under a different seller name," the report stated.

LCA chief executive Malcolm Richards warned that fire and electric shock are the primary ways electrical products cause fatalities. "This is no longer a question of whether someone gets hurt. It is a question of when, and of who will be held responsible when it happens, and right now the answer to that is nobody," he said. Richards noted the products are sold at "very cheap and attractive" prices, deceiving homeowners into believing they are making upgrades when they are actually risking significant fires or electric shocks.

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These are the two ways electrical products kill people: fire and shock. This is no longer a question of whether someone gets hurt. It is a question of when, and of who will be held responsible when it happens, and right now the answer to that is nobody.

Temu and AliExpress performed worst, with none of their sampled lighting products passing compliance tests. Amazon had an 8% pass rate, and eBay 12%. After the LCA contacted platforms in June, Temu removed all its 240V lighting products from its Australian website within a week. Amazon, AliExpress, and Kogan did not respond. "Temu proved this is fixable in a week," Richards said. "The others had the same evidence for two months and are still selling. That is a choice, not a technical problem."

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Home owners buy them thinking they're upgrading their lighting but all they're going to do is ignite a significant fire or cause a shock to someone in their own home.

The council urges online marketplaces to remove all unregistered 240V lighting products from Australian listings. They also demand stronger regulatory powers and increased legal accountability for platforms selling unsafe electrical goods.

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Temu proved this is fixable in a week. The others had the same evidence for two months and are still selling. That is a choice, not a technical problem.