Desertcart added to list of online marketplaces selling recalled UPP battery packs

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) updated its product safety report on UPP Battery e-bike battery packs on 23 January 2024 to add Desertcart to the list of online marketplaces where the product was sold¹. The report was first published on 22 January 2024 and names Amazon, AliBaba, eBay, Made in China and Desertcart¹. The alert date is given as 23 January 2024 and the risk level as serious¹.

The product is described as triangular lithium-ion battery packs for e-bikes, brand UPP Battery (Unit Pack Power), models U004 and U004-1, using 18650 and 21700 cells respectively, with China given as the country of origin¹. The report states that the product presents a serious risk of fire as there is the potential for it to enter into thermal runaway, and that it does not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005¹.

The corrective action recorded in the report is the withdrawal of the product from sale:

The report also sets out advice for people who already own one of the packs:

The report adds that consumers should check first with their local centre if they accept this type of battery, and links to the government page on disposing of household waste¹.

Why it matters for households

The report covers battery packs sold through several online marketplaces, and the 23 January update extends the named list to Desertcart¹. Households that bought a UPP pack, whether for an e-bike or otherwise, are within the group the report addresses. The OPSS advice is to stop using the battery immediately and to dispose of it safely via a local household waste disposal site, checking first with the local centre whether it accepts this type of battery¹. The report gives the reason for that advice as the potential for the product to enter thermal runaway, which it describes as a serious risk of fire¹. The report does not give a figure for the number of units sold or affected, and no injuries or incidents are reported in it¹. The lithium-ion battery safety at home guide covers how these packs fail, and how to check if an electrical product has been recalled explains how to look up a model against official notices. The guide to batteries and chargers from online marketplaces and the explanation of UKCA, CE and battery safety markings set out what the markings on a pack indicate.

What happens next

The report records that Withdrawal Notices have been issued to distributors requiring the product to be removed from sale¹. No further steps, deadlines or follow-up announcements are given in the report¹.