"CE" or "CCC" approved products?

ExpatDavid_2

Is it so difficult to buy everyday products in the UK which are fit for purpose? My latest problem - a shopping trolley wheel fell off after less than a mile use from new. Spent an hour or more repairing it (bodge actually as a proper repair was not practicable) and expect to bin it if it fails again. Over the last few years I have had many such failures, possibly the worst being electrical adaptors from UK plugs to European sockets. "CE" marked, probably without a licence as it turned out, but on first use came apart when attempting to remove them from the wall socket, leaving live parts exposed.

Friends who work in engineering manufacturing tell me of massive reject rates for components outsourced from China, but the bean counters still think they are saving something despite the likelihood that the final product will suffer. Even a relatively "raw" material such as steel from over there is of inconsistent composition.

It now seems so difficult to source properly designed and manufactured products, particularly from the large store chains, all of which have turned their allegiance to China on pure cost grounds with no regard for quality.

Still the drive continues to source products from over there, losing British jobs and causing problems down the line for everyone else.

Surely it's time to start complaining and rejecting such products and demanding fitness for purpose. We need to be able to identify these products and perhaps through forums such as this we can award them their true "CCC" rating.
"Cheap Chinese !!!!"

fluffnutter

Shouldn't steal the trolleys to wheel your shopping home, then

But at least you tried to repair it - round our way they just get fly-tipped.

Azari

ExpatDavid wrote: »

Is it so difficult to buy everyday products in the UK which are fit for purpose? My latest problem - a shopping trolley wheel fell off after less than a mile use from new. Spent an hour or more repairing it (bodge actually as a proper repair was not practicable) and expect to bin it if it fails again.

Why did you not return it to the vendor for refund/replacement?

Over the last few years I have had many such failures, possibly the worst being electrical adaptors from UK plugs to European sockets. "CE" marked, probably without a licence as it turned out, but on first use came apart when attempting to remove them from the wall socket, leaving live parts exposed.

Why did you not return it to the vendor for refund/replacement?

Friends who work in engineering manufacturing tell me of massive reject rates for components outsourced from China, but the bean counters still think they are saving something despite the likelihood that the final product will suffer. Even a relatively "raw" material such as steel from over there is of inconsistent composition.

It now seems so difficult to source properly designed and manufactured products, particularly from the large store chains, all of which have turned their allegiance to China on pure cost grounds with no regard for quality.

You can't blame the Chinese because manufacturers and vendors specify inferior standards for parts and products. Just like any other manufacturing nation China produce goods of differing grades.

Surely it's time to start complaining and rejecting such products and demanding fitness for purpose.

I await with interest your response to the questions above which will tell us how much of a start you have made in complaining and rejecting. In similar circumstances I would have obtained a refund. Hitting the vendors where it hurts is the way to engender the change you seek.

NiallB

Azari wrote: »

In similar circumstances I would have obtained a refund. Hitting the vendors where it hurts is the way to engender the change you seek.

But that's much more effort than simply having a pop at an entire nation...

sammatty

At a recent trade fair for welding products, a chinese manufacturer and I were talking, we were talking through his "CE" marking. Turns out that he hadn't gone through any of the proper channels that we as a British manufacturer had.

In fact CE stood for "Chinese Engineering"

maninthestreet

Whay would you want to buy a shopping trolley? They're supplied free of charge at my local supermarket....

ExpatDavid_2

Azari wrote: »

Why did you not return it to the vendor for refund/replacement?

Gift from a friend , no receipt

Why did you not return it to the vendor for refund/replacement?

Bought whilst travelling, not able to return or identify the manufacturer.

You can't blame the Chinese because manufacturers and vendors specify inferior standards for parts and products. Just like any other manufacturing nation China produce goods of differing grades.

No, I don't agree, the fact that they were rejected indicates non-compliance with the specification. The primary blame does indeed lie with those who procure such components and continue to do so in spite of the reject rates. The next step by the bean counters is of course to widen the tolerances which will have a detrimental effect on the final product.

I await with interest your response to the questions above which will tell us how much of a start you have made in complaining and rejecting. In similar circumstances I would have obtained a refund. Hitting the vendors where it hurts is the way to engender the change you seek.

In my experience hitting the vendors simply doesn't work. It is exactly the same as the problem with outsourced components where the overall perceived cost still yields a profit. I suspect that many items returned are simply binned or even returned to the shelves. The big retailers are simply not interested in reporting problems to the manufacturer. But I will continue to return defective items and hope that others will do the same.

ExpatDavid_2

sammatty wrote: »

At a recent trade fair for welding products, a chinese manufacturer and I were talking, we were talking through his "CE" marking. Turns out that he hadn't gone through any of the proper channels that we as a British manufacturer had.

In fact CE stood for "Chinese Engineering"

This is the problem. UK manufacturers have to seek certification whereas others simply forge the approval.

Jennikay

maninthestreet wrote: »

Whay would you want to buy a shopping trolley? They're supplied free of charge at my local supermarket....

Really? They're £1 our way :rotfl:

Azari

Jennikay wrote: »

Really? They're £1 our way :rotfl:

They are free at our Tesco.

They all have a notice attached warning that they will stop suddenly if taken over the red line.

Only thing is, there are no red lines (nor have there ever been) around our Tesco.