AN INVESTIGATION HAS found that Irish retailers were largely unaffected by revelations in the United Kingdom that many households products did not conform to fire safety standards.

However, one product sold by the the parent company of Argos and Homebase was found to contain a falsified safety warning.

A BBC documentary, “Furniture Inferno”, found that a number of household products such as sofas and mattresses, sold by major retails in the UK were “potentially fatal” and did not meet guidelines on flammability.

Following its broadcast last month, the National Consumer Agency (NCA) contacted UK authorities, and also retailers featured in the programme.

Sold in Ireland

It discovered that one of the products which did not conform to relevant safety standards was sold in Ireland.

“Sleep Secrets Cool Gel” mattresses from Home Retail Group, who operate Argos and Homebase, were removed from the market.

“As all mattresses sold were home deliveries, the company has customer details in each case and has written directly to affected customers,” the NCA said.

They have since been withdrawn from sale.

Home Retail Group said that operate “strict terms and conditions” that products supplied to them must conform with legal requirements.

“We are deeply disappointed and concerned about this clear failure by [manufacturer] Ventura and are taking urgent action at the highest levels”, the company said in a statement.

No sofas referred to in the BBC investigation were sold on the Irish market.

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