The danger of the button batteries alerted the Directorate General for Fraud Repression (DGCCRF), which conducted an investigation to check if the packaging is well secured. Result ? Of the 21 products tested, 14 were deemed too easy to open or poorly labeled.
Often insufficient packaging
In 2023, the DGCCRF therefore decided to look more closely at targeting the lithium buttons at least 16 mm in diameter. The objective was to verify the presence of clear warnings like ” Hold out of reach of children And test the solidity of the packaging to prevent a child from opening them easily.
The survey concerned 81 establishments and screened the batteries of 31 different brands: major brands, distributor brands and even visible brand products. The tests consisted in ordering, folding and trying to open the packaging, as a curious child could do.
The conclusions are not reassuring: 14 of the 21 piles tested had a packaging deemed too fragile. Clearly, they could be open too easily, increasing the risk of accident. Worse, some packaging lacked warning labels, leaving consumers in ignorance of potential dangers.
Of the 81 controlled stores, 13 presented shortcomings. The DGCCRF thus issued 11 warnings, 2 injunctions and an administrative report. If the big brands seem to be generally respecting the standards, there is still a long way to go. One of the significant observations of this survey concerns online sale.
E-commerce platforms are full of products whose compliance leaves something to be desired, especially in terms of labeling and packaging. Certain references sold by foreign distributors escape French and European standards, thus increasing the risk for consumers. The DGCCRF recalled that marketplaces are responsible for ensuring that the proposed products comply with the regulations in force. Several sites have also withdrawn non -compliant references after notification.
But the objective is not only to sanction. The DGCCRF insists on the importance of informing manufacturers and sellers of the risk -related risk. A awareness campaign was carried out last year to alert consumers to the right reflexes to adopt.
Faced with the persistence of dangerous products on the market, the DGCCRF recommends regularly renewing these controls. The idea is simple: make sure that all the button batteries sold to consumers respect the safety rules and thus avoid dramas. In the meantime, it is better to check the packaging yourself before buying … and above all, to store these batteries out of the reach of curious little hands!
🟣 To not miss any news on the Geek Journal, subscribe to Google News. And if you love us, .
