NAPIT Promotes Product Safety this Christmas
02 December 2025
The festive season is a time for giving, but it’s vital to ensure products that are bought as gifts and used at this time are safe. Many consumers aren’t aware of the potential risks when buying products online, opting for cheaper ‘unofficial’ gifts, or misusing electrical products.
Electrical fires are devastating, can lead to serious injuries, and, in some cases, can be fatal. It is key that consumers purchase electrical goods from reputable retailers, follow manufacturers' instructions, and use them correctly.
Whether you are installing decorative lights, using an electric heater to keep warm in the colder months, or buying a gift, safety should be prioritised.
NAPIT have put together top tips for product safety this Christmas.
- Ensure electrical goods are bought from a reputable manufacturer or retailer. Cheaper, ‘unofficial’ electrical products such as phone chargers, hair straighteners, e-bikes and e-scooters may not meet safety regulations, increasing the risk of fire or electric shocks.
- Always follow manufacturers' instructions.
- Ensure products have CE and UKCA markings, which show the product meets essential safety requirements.
- When using an electric heater, place it on a stable surface away from furniture or any flammable materials. Keep away from children and pets.
- Never leave cooking appliances unattended; be present when cooking.
- Create a plan on how to install festive lights, check possible routes for the lights, look out for potential obstructions, fixing methods and use RCD-protected socket outlets for any lighting or features installed outside.
- If installing lights outside, use LED weather-resistant lights as they are safer, designed to be installed outside and cheaper to run.
- Before installing lights, especially for existing decorative lighting, check the condition of the lights, checking for damage and check that they work correctly.
- Avoid overloading socket-outlets or extension leads with too many decorative lights or electrical devices. This may lead to overloads, which could cause a fire.
- Turn off all festive decorative lights and kitchen appliances before leaving home or going to sleep.
