AliExpress Under Fire: Unsafe Phthalate Levels Found in Children's Items

In a striking revelation on Monday, the Seoul city government disclosed the presence of cancer-causing substances in children's products sold on AliExpress, one of the leading Chinese online retail platforms. Following a meticulous safety examination of 31 top-selling children's and household items, eight products contained toxic levels far exceeding Korean safety standards.

According to Korea Times, among the flagged items were a baby walker, two models of teether toys, a swimming ring, and notably, a children's leather bag imbued with phthalates at levels 56 times higher than what is deemed safe.

Risks and Regulations

Phthalates, a group of chemicals used in making plastics more flexible, were predominantly found in children's leather bags, where their concentration exceeded permissible levels by 55.6 times. The substance DEHP, identified among the phthalates in the bag, is recognized as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Additionally, the swimming ring was highlighted not only for its excessive phthalate levels, which were 33 times over the limit but also for its insufficient thickness, posing further safety hazards. The other products, including teethers and a baby walker, presented risks of suffocation and injury from falls due to design flaws.

Future Actions

In response to these alarming discoveries, WN reported that the Seoul city government announced plans to extend safety evaluations to other major Chinese online retailers such as Temu and Shein. A regular safety examination system for these platforms, including AliExpress, will be instituted to safeguard Korean consumers from the risks associated with directly imported goods.

Starting in the fourth week of this month, the city will publish the results of these safety checks weekly and establish a hotline for consumer complaints regarding personally imported products.

Aiming for Consumer Safety

With personal imports to Korea reaching about 6.8 trillion won ($5 billion) last year, nearly half of which originated from China, the potential exposure to unsafe products has become a significant concern. AliExpress, boasting 8.18 million monthly active users in Korea and ranking as the second largest online seller after Coupang, is under scrutiny.

In cooperation with the Korea Consumer Agency, the city government is poised to introduce swift advisory and relief measures for affected consumers and establish direct lines of communication with key overseas e-commerce platforms to mitigate consumer harm from inadequately inspected products.

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