The Ladder Association are pleased to release our latest research report as part of our ongoing ‘Step Up to Safe Ladders’ campaign.
Following on from our previous telescopic ladder market surveillance studies, we wanted to gain a better understanding of telescopic ladder users’ buying behaviours; where they buy from, what influences their purchase decisions, and what safeguards they take to make informed purchases.
Funded by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and using the services of an external market research company, we anonymously interviewed 1,063 buyers of telescopic ladders, aged 18+, living in the UK, who had purchased the ladders in the last 3 years.
Headline findings
Increased risk of accidents when buying online
Consumers were up to twice as likely to have an accident after buying telescopic ladders online from Amazon or eBay than those who bought from dedicated DIY retailers such as B&Q, Screwfix, Toolstation and Wickes.
Price is the key factor for consumers, not safety
Nearly
two thirds (62%) of respondents did not consider product safety or reference to
quality marks as
one of their top 3 priorities when making their purchasing decision.
Instead, almost one third
(29%) bought telescopic ladders on price alone.
Consumers trust that products online and in store are safe
Almost half of those surveyed (47%) carried out no checks whatsoever before making their purchase.
This leaves consumers vulnerable to rogue traders and at significant risk of buying potentially unsafe and dangerous equipment.
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Read our latest press release
To learn more, read our press release >
We’re calling on industry to support our campaign – it’s time for the UK Government to make regulatory changes to hold suppliers and online platforms accountable for ensuring the products they sell are compliant and safe to use.
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