We bought 20 pairs of sunglasses from six online marketplaces and put them through standard lab-based tests. Two pairs simply let through too much ultraviolet light (UV), which could damage a child’s eyes.
On five pairs – including one with dangerously low UV protection – we found significant differences between the amount of protection provided by one lens compared to the other. Good glasses have the same level of protection across both lenses.
And all the kids’ sunglasses bought from marketplaces were missing key information, labels and markings required for them to be sold in the UK legally.
The latest in our series of investigations into unsafe products shows why more needs to be done to prevent their sale through online marketplaces. The government's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect online shoppers and to give online marketplaces clear legal responsibilities to keep dangerous products off their sites.
Video: kids' sunglasses put to the test
Find out what happened when we put the sunglasses through our lab safety tests.
The unsafe kids’ sunglasses that put your child at risk
The most important thing that a pair of kids’ sunglasses can do is to protect young and still-developing eyes from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.
But worryingly, two pairs bought from Amazon and eBay failed to effectively filter the sun’s rays, despite both claiming to provide sufficient UV protection. Children are exposed to more UV than adults, their eyes are still developing, and this increases the risk of UV damage. Overexposure to UV over many years can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration.
Of all the sunglasses we’ve tested, these are the ones we’re most concerned about.
Cute Cat Kids’ Sunglasses UV Protection £1.59, Don't Buy
These glasses claim to come with UV protection, but our tests show it’s nowhere near enough. We bought them from an eBay seller, and the lenses let through between 19 and 22 times too much UVB, which means they’re providing hardly any eye protection. And due to the variation between lenses, this pair also failed later tests.
Classic Vintage Holiday Sunglasses UV400 £3.99, Don’t Buy
Cool-looking black-rimmed shades they may be, but they let through far more UV than is permitted by the sunglasses test standard. What makes this worse is that the glasses were sold with the claim that they provided UV400 protection, which means they should block UV rays up to 400nm in wavelength, which can damage eyes. Our test showed UV penetrating the barely protected lenses throughout the test.
Since our investigation began, this pair of glasses is no longer listed by the seller. But the eBay store we bought them from lists another 34 different models and claims more than 5,000 sales of sunglasses.
Neither of the pairs of glasses featured here came with instructions, warnings or any kind of packaging. And both were missing a CE or UKCA mark. Wearing them on a sunny day could seriously harm a child’s eyes, and they can’t be sold legally in the UK.
Other test failures reveal how poorly the kids' sunglasses are made
Five pairs of the sunglasses also failed to filter UV evenly, either with one lens filtering less than the other or parts of the lens being better or worse at filtering the rays. These poorly made lenses could lead to discomfort or eye strain for a child wearing them.
eBay eBay AliExpress TemuNone of these glasses meet the requirements of the test standard, and they could all prove to be a problem for any child wearing them. But these aren’t the only problems we unearthed.
Kids’ sunglasses without CE marks, warnings and other required information
Every pair of glasses we bought from online marketplaces failed at least some of our compliance assessments, such as the CE or UKCA mark being missing. These markings indicate that the glasses meet all the legal requirements needed to be sold in this country. Without one or other of the markings, the glasses can’t be sold legally in the UK.
In many cases, details for the manufacturer and the filter category (how dark the lenses are) were regularly missing when we checked. And 17 of the 20 glasses bought from marketplaces failed to come with a declaration of conformity, detailing the standard that they were tested to along with the details of the manufacturer.
UV test and compliance failures combined mean that none of the 20 pairs of sunglasses we tested from online marketplaces can be sold legally in the UK.
Where to buy sunglasses for children
We also tested four well-known and high street brands.
We bought glasses to test from Babiators, Boots, John Lewis and Vision Express. Every pair tested provided all the required protection for a child’s eyes, and the lenses were alike in their ability to effectively and safely filter UV. These are the glasses we tested:
Our testing shows that to be sure you’re buying glasses that provide the UV protection a child needs, your best bet is to avoid sunglasses sold through online marketplaces. Instead, go for glasses from a brand or a store you’re familiar with.
What to check when buying sunglasses for children
These steps will help you find sunglasses for children that will provide them with the protection needed for their developing eyes.
Recognised brandsCE or UKCA markUV400 protectionCategory 3 lensesAnd there are other good practice tips that'll just help make sure you buy sunglasses that will last.
Try them onRobust framesConsider glasses that come with an elastic strapWhich? calls for tough new laws to protect shoppers online
We’re not surprised to find unsafe sunglasses that could damage kids’ eyes or sunglasses that can’t be sold legally in the UK, all over online marketplaces. We’ve been investigating the sale of unsafe products through these platforms for years, and despite the claims of improvement made by the companies involved, every time we take a look at what’s being sold, we find products which are more likely to harm than to help you.
The findings of our kids’ sunglasses investigation show precisely why tough new laws are required to make marketplaces responsible for the products being sold through their platforms.
We're calling for the government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to be strengthened to ensure that these new laws give online marketplaces clear legal responsibilities for keeping dangerous products off their sites, backed up by tough enforcement, including heavy fines, when businesses fall short.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:'Our research shows many of these models are so ineffective as to be dangerous for children to wear, and this is a consequence of online marketplaces having no real responsibility or incentive for taking safety seriously.
'The government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must be strengthened to include legal responsibilities for online marketplaces to ensure the products they sell on their sites are safe, with heavy fines for those that fall short of the required standards.'
What the platforms said about the latest safety issues
We shared our findings with the marketplaces and other retailers selling the sunglasses that failed our tests. All the online marketplace products that failed our tests have now been removed from sale by the platforms.
Amazon AliExpress Ebay Temu TikTok Which? is campaigning for stricter rules to prevent the sale of unsafe products. Sign our undefinedsource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/kids-sunglasses-bought-on-online-marketplaces-unsafe-and-illegal-in-the-uk-amWdH8D9J9gG