Firm fined over sauna heat belts

Thursday, 26 November 2009

A FIRM has been ordered to pay £3,000 in fines and prosecution costs for supplying slimming sauna heat belts which became dangerously hot when used.

Havering Council took DRW Ltd to court after discovering that the China-imported products were unsafe.

The sauna heat belts were being supplied to a mail order business in Crow Lane, Romford, which offered them for sale online.

The Romford firm told Trading Standards they were unaware the goods were faulty as it was the importer’s responsibility.

After receiving information from another local authority, the council bought one of the products and it was sent to be tested independently.

Tests revealed that the sauna belts failed to comply with safety regulations on four matters, including excessive temperatures.

The product packaging reads ‘sweat away unwanted fat by sauna heat’ and claims that a customer could lose ‘two centimetres from their waist in 50 minutes’. It adds ‘the pounds will just melt away’.

DRW Ltd, based in Birmingham, pleaded guilty at Havering Magistrates Court on Thursday, November 12, to supplying an unsafe item and failure to supply test reports.

The firm was fined a total of £1,500 and ordered to pay £1,500 prosecution costs to the Council.

Councillor Peter Gardner, cabinet member for Trading Standards, said: “The sauna belt we bought became so hot that one of our officers was unable to touch it.

“We will not hesitate to investigate any reports of dangerous products being sold to customers in our borough and will prosecute anyone responsible.”

Email: havering@yellowad.co.uk

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