An investigation by BBC Watchdog has found that jewellery advertised as sterling silver on popular online marketplaces can contain toxic chemicals. Experts on The One Show examined 25 pieces of jewellery bought from vendors on websites including Amazon, eBay, Temu, OnBuy and Etsy.
Eight of the items contained levels of cadmium – a chemical that can cause cancer – exceeding the legal maximum. Only two of the items listed could be classed as genuine sterling silver.
Skin irritation and low silver content
Meranda, 34, told the outlet she purchased a necklace from Etsy listed as sterling silver. After wearing it for a short time, she found her skin had become irritated. She said: 'I remember looking at it as I took it off and thinking the colour on this doesn't look right.'
She added there was no reason to suspect anything was wrong when she first purchased it online. 'It was very shiny. It looked [legitimate]; I did not think it wasn't sterling silver.'
Testing by the Sheffield Assay Office found that Meranda's necklace only contained 8.9% silver. Genuine sterling silver must contain at least 92.5% silver. The testing also found the necklace contained nickel, with one section of the chain having a concentration as high as 11%.
Cadmium levels and health risks
Of the 25 items purchased by BBC Watchdog, eight contained cadmium over the legal limit of 0.01%. In some cases, the jewellery contained up to 10% cadmium.
Cadmium is a carcinogen and can also cause respiratory issues, kidney damage, cardiovascular problems and other detrimental health effects. Ingestion and inhalation both pose serious risks to human health. While eating jewellery is unlikely, dropping an earring containing high levels of cadmium into food could put health in danger. Low-level exposure from wearing the jewellery could also have detrimental impacts on well-being.
Selling fake sterling silver is a breach of the Hallmarking Act, and those who fall foul risk fines and imprisonment.
Platform responses
eBay told Metro that none of the items it sold were found to contain illegal levels of cadmium during the investigation. It said it had removed products identified as potentially posing risks by the BBC investigation. An eBay spokesperson said: 'eBay strictly prohibits misleading listings and requires all items to be described accurately. To ensure buyers can shop with confidence, anyone who receives an item that does not match its description may be covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee, and we encourage them to contact us for support.'
Amazon told the BBC that customers with concerns about jewellery purchases should contact them directly for support. The online retail giant said it had recalled a number of jewellery products found to be unsafe after the investigation.
A Temu spokesperson said affected products had been removed from its platform thanks to its 'ongoing monitoring' before the BBC got in contact. 'We have arranged additional testing by an independent laboratory and are reviewing similar products to identify and address potential risks,' it said. 'Temu requires sellers to comply with applicable product safety and compliance requirements as a condition of selling on our platform. This includes complying with restrictions on hazardous substances, accurately describing product materials and providing relevant test reports and compliance documentation.'
OnBuy told the BBC it has offered affected customers refunds and initiated a recall of the product identified as containing cadmium. Metro has contacted Amazon, OnBuy, and Etsy for comment.
