Amazon still lists fake energy-saving plugs despite removal pledge

Amazon is still listing fake “energy-saving” plugs that can pose fire and electrocution risks, despite promising UK lawmakers that the products had been removed from sale.

The plugs were first identified by Which? in 2025. In tests of eight devices bought from marketplaces including eBay, AliExpress, Shein, and TikTok Shop, Which? found no evidence that they worked and said they did not meet basic UK safety standards.

Listings on Amazon advertise the products as “voltage stabilizers” or “surge protectors”, claiming they can reduce household energy bills by improving appliance performance. They are usually priced at around £10-£15.

Which? found that more than half of the plugs’ socket pins were too small, bent, or so weak that they broke off. Other tests identified non-standard capacitors, poor soldering, and additional failures to meet basic safety measures.

In June, Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds raised the risks at a hearing. In August, Amazon UK Director of Public Policy Monica Ariño told the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee that the listings had been removed, citing a technical issue in its automated classification system.

Amazon listings remain live, and Reynolds says he will ask the company for an explanation. Amazon has not commented on their current status or the latest claims.