iPassion Group fined S$50,000 for affixing SAFETY marks on unregistered charging adaptors and selling them

iPassion Group fined S$50,000 for affixing SAFETY marks on unregistered charging adaptors and selling them

MR No.:058/19
Singapore, Tuesday, 8 October 2019

1. iPassion Group Pte Ltd (iPassion), a supplier of gadgets, pleaded guilty to 15 charges for failing to comply with the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR) administered by Enterprise Singapore. The court case concluded today, with iPassion being fined a total of S$50,000 by the State Courts for affixing SAFETY Marks to unregistered charging adaptors for Personal Mobility Devices (PMD) and supplying these unregistered adaptors¹. 34 other charges for similar offences were taken into consideration.

2. Investigations on iPassion commenced in April 2016 following a consumer feedback on unregistered PMD charging adaptors supplied by the company. The results showed that iPassion was supplying 30 different models of adaptors bearing the SAFETY Marks, together with PMDs sold. This did not match with Enterprise Singapore’s records which reflected that, as at April 2016, iPassion had registered only eight different models of adaptors. These eight models were issued and affixed with a valid SAFETY Mark, each with a unique 8-digit registration number. The remaining 22 models of adaptors supplied by the company were not registered, and had been affixed with SAFETY marks issued to the registered models instead. Consumers might have been misled to believe that the unregistered adaptors met the requirements under CPSR and complied with the regulations.

3. As part of the investigations, Enterprise Singapore seized over 900 unregistered charging adaptors from iPassion. The supplier was ordered to immediately cease supply of the charging adaptors and recall the affected models – XVE-4200200, XVE-5460200, XVE-3740300 and XVE-2940200² – sold between 31 March 2015 to 24 May 2016. More than 90% of affected adaptors have since been recalled. Consumers who still possess these adaptors supplied between the mentioned period, should stop using the adaptors immediately and contact iPassion for redress options.

4. Consumer safety is of utmost importance to Enterprise Singapore. We take a serious view towards suppliers who do not comply with the requirements under CPSR, including those who knowingly or unknowingly affix SAFETY Marks on unregistered Controlled Goods, and will not hesitate to take legal action. Under CPSR, suppliers of 33 categories of Controlled Goods, including charging adaptors, must ensure these products are type-tested, certified to meet relevant safety standards, registered with Enterprise Singapore, and affixed with a SAFETY Mark before they can be supplied, displayed, and advertised for sale in Singapore. Any person found guilty of selling unregistered Controlled Goods, is liable upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both, per charge.

5. To ensure requirements under CPSR are met, our enforcement officers conduct regular checks on suppliers to ensure the safety of these Controlled Goods. We also encourage consumers to play their part by taking into account safety considerations when purchasing and using charging adaptors. They should practise the following:

• Look out for a valid SAFETY Mark. Search through the Register of Controlled Goods at www. cpsa.enterprisesg.gov.sg to check if the product has been registered with Enterprise Singapore;

• Avoid purchasing third party adaptors and chargers that are not from the original suppliers;

• Approach the supplier to replace any faulty adaptor and avoid repairing it on your own.

6. Consumers can report product safety issues to Enterprise Singapore at 1800 773 3163 or . For consumer safety tips, visit www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/safety-tips. For information on registration of Controlled Goods, suppliers can visit www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/cpsr.

Annex 1: About the SAFETY Mark

¹For full listing of the 33 categories of Controlled Goods under the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR), click here. Common products include kitchen appliances such as rice cookers and kettles, electrical products such as 3-pin main plugs and portable socket outlets, and household products such as fans and water heaters.

²There were several variations of these four adaptors, bringing the total to 22 models.

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