Beware of Cheap Christmas Lights: Many Are Dangerous Despite Carrying the CE Mark
Poor-quality light chains can cause fires. If you are unsure about the documentation or safety of the lighting you sell, we can check it for you.
The Christmas season is approaching, and with it comes the annual rush to buy decorations and festive lighting. Christmas lights are among the most popular seasonal products, but unfortunately also among the most hazardous. Each year, numerous fires across Europe are caused by poor-quality or incorrectly marked lighting products. The issue often lies in low manufacturing quality and even the misuse of the CE marking, which can mislead consumers.
Many cheap light chains, especially those sold on online marketplaces, fail to meet essential safety requirements. Their cables are too thin, power adapters overheat easily, insulation is inadequate, and critical protective features such as short-circuit or overvoltage protection are missing. These products may stop working, but more importantly, they pose serious risks including fire, electric shock, or damage to property. During the holiday season—when lights operate for long hours—the risks become even higher.
It is important to emphasise that the CE marking is not a guarantee of quality; it is merely a declaration by the manufacturer that the product complies with the relevant EU directives. Unfortunately, many non-EU manufacturers misuse the CE mark or use symbols that look similar but do not represent compliance. Consumers typically cannot tell the difference.
If you sell or import Christmas lighting, it is your legal responsibility to ensure that the products are safe. This includes proper CE marking, complete technical documentation, safety assessments, and compliance with directives such as EMC and LVD. In practice, documentation is often incomplete, missing test reports, referencing outdated standards, or failing to include mandatory information.
To help you avoid issues with market surveillance authorities, customer complaints, or real safety hazards, you can send us your documentation or the products themselves for a professional compliance review. We will verify whether the lighting meets legal requirements, highlight any deficiencies, and recommend necessary corrections. Our goal is to ensure that what you sell is safe, compliant, and ready for the EU market.
Christmas should be a time of peace—not a season of fire hazards caused by unsafe lighting. Make sure the products you offer or choose are truly safe.