This year’s "Smart Shopper” awareness campaign encourages people to be aware when shopping online and save money, health and nature.
An explosion in the number of small parcels
In recent years, orders of small parcels from third countries, in particular from China, have increased exponentially. Along with the increase in the volume of orders, violations of intellectual property and product safety rules have also become more frequent.
“When ordering from third countries, i.e. countries that are not part of the European Union or the European Economic Area, it is important to bear in mind that products from third countries may not always correspond to the images and descriptions advertised. A lower price may also mean a possible difference in quality, but not always. Products ordered from third countries may not necessarily have undergone the safety and quality checks required in the EU. Therefore, it may happen that a product is unsafe, mislabelled or does not comply with what has been promised,” commented Jana Baljutis-Kütt, Head of Product Safety Division at CPTRA.
According to Kaari Lainevool, Service Owner at the Customs Services Unit of the ETCB, the explosive growth of e-commerce has made the situation across the EU critical. “In 2024, around 4.6 billion small parcels from China arrived in the EU – almost twice as many as two years ago. Monthly volumes will grow even more during the Black Friday period, but despite this, our aim is to protect society and prevent dangerous and counterfeit goods from reaching the market", added Lainevool.
Most often, counterfeit goods arrive in Estonia as postal and courier shipments primarily from China, but also from Turkey and Bangladesh, for example.
Recommendations for smart shoppers ahead of Black Friday
1. Check the reliability of the online store – make sure which trader you are entering into transaction with and where it is registered. Remember: too cheap offers may be an indication of counterfeit goods.
2. Calculate possible taxes before purchase using 2. the ETCB's customs duty calculator.
3. Avoid trademark counterfeits and dangerous products, especially children's toys and electronics.
4. Be conscious about your purchase – every shipment from the other side of the world leaves a huge ecological footprint.
What to watch out for before and after your purchase?
1. Are the name and contact details of the manufacturer clearly visible?
2. Does the product have a model, batch or serial number that allows it to be identified?
3. Is the product among those that must bear the CE marking (e.g. toys, electrical appliances, etc.)? The marking must be on the product or its packaging – not just on the transport packaging! The product types for which CE marking is mandatory can be found on the 3. European Commission's website.
4. Read reviews with a critical eye. If a product only has identical five-star reviews or all reviews use poor language, these may be fake reviews.
5. Before buying, check if the product is already on the EU list of dangerous products – see 5. Safety Gate (EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products).
6. Be careful with beauty products, children's items, and electrical appliances. These product groups are most related to hazardous findings in the Safety Gate.
7. If information is scarce, ask the seller for more information about the product's labelling and instructions.
8. If the product has incomplete labelling, odd smell, broken packaging or no instructions, do not use it until you are sure of its safety.
