Warns about online operators

This is evident from a Nordic survey by the trade and employer organisation Virke and their sister organisations in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

- When so many experience problems, it is a clear sign that today's regulation is not working. Consumers deserve safe products and predictable online shopping, says the head of sustainability at the Consumer Council, Elin Volder Rutle, in a press release from the Consumer Council.

The survey shows that consumers frequently shop on marketplaces like Temu, Shein, and Amazon. One in four does this at least once a month. At the same time, as many as 63 percent have experienced problems with their purchases. Poor quality tops the list, while non-delivery comes in second. Many have also received the wrong size, wrong product, or goods that seem unsafe, according to the Consumer Council in the message published on 8 December.

Problems with the giants

The Consumer Council has also published a test which showed that two out of three products from Temu and Shein do not meet European safety standards, where they urged people to do their Christmas shopping elsewhere.

According to the Consumer Council, Virke's Nordic survey shows that the product groups clothing and shoes are the most purchased in the last six months, with 59 percent, while 35 percent have bought electronics, 16 percent cosmetics, and 10 percent toys or children's products. The last three are product groups that the Consumer Council particularly warns against.

- That so many buy electronics on these marketplaces is concerning. We are not pointing fingers at consumers, but believe that the authorities must do much more to prevent people from clicking home unsafe products, says Volder Rutle in the press release.

Low confidence in the marketplaces

Almost six out of ten believe that foreign online marketplaces do not meet the requirements when it comes to consumer protection, product safety, workers' rights or the environment. The biggest concern is unsafe products.

- Consumers are wise to be sceptical. The products are not necessarily safe, and there is no guarantee that they meet the safety requirements in Norway and the EU, says Volder Rutle.

Manipulative design

The Consumer Council has previously shown how non-European marketplaces use manipulative design to get you to buy more than planned. The Consumer Council refers to a report from earlier this year, where the Consumer Council and 24 other European consumer organisations complain to the EU Commission and national supervisory authorities about Shein's use of manipulative design. According to the Consumer Council, Shein uses fake countdowns, pressure and stress, which play on emotions and create urgency.

- Manipulative design is a major problem both on websites and in apps. When you also risk receiving unsafe or inadequate products, the combination is particularly problematic. We believe that authorities must intervene with stricter regulation and more effective supervision, both of product safety and how these marketplaces market and sell goods. Marketplaces like Temu should be held directly responsible for ensuring that what they sell complies with European and Norwegian laws, says Elin Volder Rutle in the press release.