Hundreds of products including toys, make up and hair straighteners were seized from an Ilkeston shop. Catalogue Clearance Company was visited by Trading Standards officers in April 2021, the officers having received a tip off.
The store was said to be selling unsafe items including an Estee Lauder cream which failed to comply with safety standards. 753 items were seized from the Derbyshire store during the visit.
Derbyshire Live reports the products included toys, household electrical products - including hair straighteners, power tools and robot vacuum cleaners - and cosmetics.
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Examples of the goods were sent for testing, with five products found to be unsafe, posing a risk of electrical shock. Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard shop owner Phillip Rose, 68, had failed to put in place any steps to check the products he was selling at the Armstrong's Mill store in Middleton Street.
The court heard Rose has since ceased trading. Rose, of Highfield Drive, Ilkeston, has now admitted four charges of selling unsafe goods after being taken to court by Derbyshire County Council. As a distributor Rose admitted:
- Making available 312 items of electrical equipment that failed to conform to safety standards contrary to the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
- Making available 62 toys which failed to comply with required safety standards contrary to the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011
- Making available 43 jars of Estee Lauder cream which failed to comply with required safety standards contrary to the Cosmetic Product Enforcement Regulations 2013 and Regulations (EC) No 1223/2009
- Making available 80 miscellaneous consumer products which did not conform to required safety standards contrary to the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
He was handed a four-month community order and a curfew to be monitored by tag. Magistrates also ordered Rose to pay Derbyshire County Council’s prosecution costs in full amounting to £10,350, and a £95 victim surcharge.
As a result of the Trading Standards investigation 743 of the seized items were the subject of forfeiture and destruction. Magistrates said that as an experienced market trader Rose should have gained more of an understanding in respect of his trading environment.
Councillor Carol Hart, Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for health and communities, said: “Selling unsafe and unregulated goods will not be tolerated in Derbyshire and our trading standards officers will always act when informed of traders who are thought to be selling goods which could affect public safety.
"It’s extremely serious as unsafe products can cause untold damage to people and property, and it’s also unfair on our residents who are parting with their money for products that are not what they seem and to legitimate traders who are working hard to make a living and following the rules.”
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