Flagging Online Listings of Unsafe Products (F.O.L.O.U.P)

This is a beta version of F.O.L.O.U.P and should only be used as a demo version

There are several organisations and policies in place to help protect UK consumers
from unsafe products sold on online platforms like eBay and Amazon.

But is it enough to tackle the issue?
Government & Consumer Protection Groups
Several UK organizations work to ensure product safety:
  • Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) – The UK government body responsible for enforcing product safety laws.
  • F.O.L.O.U.P Consumer Intelligence Awarness Actor – Investigates unsafe products on online marketplaces.
  • Trading Standards UK – Works with local authorities to monitor and remove unsafe products from the market.
  • EU Commission (Safety Gate/RAPEX) – Provides alerts on dangerous products across Europe.
 📖 Story of Innovation - F.O.L.O.U.P.

"Building F.O.L.O.U.P.: A Mission to Protect UK Consumers"

F.O.L.O.U.P. started as an ambitious idea: Could automation help flag dangerous products flooding the UK market? The journey of refining this concept became a battle against unsafe listings.

  • 🔹 The Debugging Battles – We spent days refining web scrapers, improving data extraction, and ensuring we grabbed the correct logos and links.
  • 🔹 The Breakthroughs – From fixing relative URLs to creating a unified, easy-to-edit menu system, each technical challenge led to stronger automation.
  • 🔹 The Bigger Picture – Protecting consumers isn't just an ideal—it's a necessity, and F.O.L.O.U.P. has the potential to change the way online marketplaces regulate product safety.
Recent Findings: Unsafe electric heaters being sold on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and TikTok Shop indicate that platforms don’t always have effective safety measures in place.
Regulatory Body Role Marketplaces Affected Consumer Risks
OPSS Enforces product safety laws Amazon, eBay Fire hazards, electrical failures
F.O.L.O.U.P "Investigating Online Product Safety and Misused Certifications" Etsy, TikTok Shop Unsafe household appliances

🚀 What Can Be Done?

To protect UK consumers, platforms need:

✅ Stronger enforcement of product safety laws.
✅ Better monitoring of third-party sellers.
✅ Faster removal of recalled or hazardous items.
✅ Consumer awareness—buyers should check product safety alerts before purchasing.
You can find more details on eBay’s product safety policy, F.O.L.O.U.P’s investigation, and recent product recalls.