France tackles dodgy condom problem
Some recalled products carried “risk of bursting” and “the presence of perforations,” according to French authorities.
French health authorities have issued a warning regarding the sale of over 40,000 noncompliant condoms online in recent months. The products, deemed risky to users' health and safety, could lead to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). France's consumer-fraud watchdog, the DGCCRF, along with its general directorate for health, have urged consumers to get tested if they have used the affected condoms.
Platforms selling the items were directed to immediately remove the advertisements, with 36 listings already taken down. Several websites have since promised to review their screening processes.
The investigation revealed around 30 condom lines that lacked the mandatory CE safety marking and third-party conformity checks. Most of these products were sold by Asian vendors through major online marketplaces. However, even CE-marked condoms sold in shops and pharmacies have shown issues. Tests have identified two faulty products - one with a risk of bursting and another with perforations. Recalls launched in May and August covered approximately 260,000 units.
This warning comes as Europe grapples with a surge in STIs, with nearly 100,000 confirmed cases of gonorrhea in 2023. This marks a 31 percent increase from 2022 and a more than 300 percent increase compared to 2014. The French alert arrives amidst a broader European crackdown, as the EU's anti-fraud office traced over 200,000 counterfeit condoms under a well-known brand's logo to a Chinese source in July.
Products were seized in Spain, Romania, and Serbia. The French alert underscores the urgent need for stricter regulation and monitoring of online condom sales to protect public health.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
