Online Home Shop electric heated blankets recalled over fire risk

The Office for Product Safety and Standards published a recall notice on 4 April 2023, with a recall and alert date of 3 April 2023, for two Online Home Shop electric heated blankets. The products were recalled from end users after being found to present a serious risk of fire and a possible risk of electric shock¹. The case was notified by Local Authority Trading Standards under case number 2302-0034¹.

The recall covers a charcoal blanket measuring 130 by 160 centimetres and a white double sized blanket. The affected SKUs are OBEBPOLCL13 and OBEBPOLWH02, and the batch codes, which are located on the care label, are PO1712, PO1479, PO1478 and PO1205. The sales period ran from September 2022 to January 2023, and the country of origin is China¹.

The notice states that the products may not meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and the Plugs and Sockets (Safety) Regulations 1994¹.

The notice adds that there is a risk the product could catch fire and that it may also pose a risk of electric shock. Customers who have bought either of the affected products are advised to unplug the product and stop using it immediately¹. A recall notice has been sent to all direct customers and retailers, and the notice points to the Online Home Shop recall page for further information¹.

Why it matters for households

The recall applies to blankets bought in the UK during the September 2022 to January 2023 sales period, so households that bought a heated blanket in that window can check the brand, the SKU and the batch code on the care label against the list above¹. The hazard identified is fire, with a possible risk of electric shock, and the corrective action is a recall from end users rather than a repair or a software update¹. The Office for Product Safety and Standards advises customers who have either affected product to unplug it and stop using it immediately¹. The notice does not state how many units are affected, whether any fires or injuries have been reported, or what form the remedy takes, such as a refund or replacement; these points have not been reported¹. Households wanting to check whether other electrical products in the home have been recalled can use the guide on how to check if an electrical product has been recalled, and general guidance on heated blankets is set out in the guide to an electric blanket or heated throw and in electric blankets: safe use, checks and when to replace.

What happens next

The recall notice has been sent to all direct customers and retailers, and further information is available on the Online Home Shop product safety recalls page¹. No closing date for the recall, and no date for further updates from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, has been reported¹.