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Most products that have been recalled or banned due to safety risks are still available to buy online, raising concerns about how effectively dangerous goods are being removed from the digital marketplace.
The Cyprus Consumers Association says that 87% of recalled or prohibited products can still be found for sale on the internet, citing a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). According to the association, this situation shows the need for stronger monitoring systems and better enforcement to ensure that unsafe products do not continue circulating online.
The statement was issued ahead of World Consumer Rights Day, marked every year on March 15. For 2026, the international campaign will focus on product safety, with the goal of ensuring that consumers are protected from potential risks. The association is calling on citizens, businesses and public institutions to work together to create a market where all products meet safety standards and consumers feel confident that what they purchase is safe.
European data also illustrates the scale of the problem. In 2025, the EU’s Safety Gate rapid alert system recorded 4,671 warnings about dangerous products, the highest number since the system began operating in 2003. This figure represents a 13% increase compared with 2024 and more than double the number recorded in 2022.
Authorities also carried out 5,794 follow-up actions, which was 35% more than the previous year.
According to the Cyprus Consumers Association, these figures show improvements in the effectiveness of the alert system. The organization attributes part of this progress to the new General Product Safety Regulation, which enables faster and more systematic information sharing between market surveillance authorities across the European Union and the European Economic Area.
At the same time, the association says additional measures are necessary. It argues that product safety should be recognized as a fundamental human right, as it is closely linked to the protection of people’s health and lives.
Among its proposals, the organization calls for a stronger role for consumer groups in shaping policy, closer cooperation between governments, businesses and consumer organizations throughout a product’s lifecycle, more effective cross-border safety systems and coordinated product recalls, and the creation of common global safety standards and regulatory frameworks.
