Overview

• Meta removed multiple listings of UPP e-bike batteries from Facebook Marketplace after Electrical Safety First flagged them as unsafe.
• The UPP batteries, models U004 and U004-1, have been linked to deadly fires, including a high-rise blaze in Coventry in September 2023.
• Despite a January 2024 withdrawal notice, private sellers continue to list these batteries, exploiting regulatory gaps in peer-to-peer sales.
• The UK government is advancing the Product Regulation & Metrology Bill, which aims to enforce mandatory safety checks and hold online platforms accountable.
• Consumer advocates stress the need for independent battery certification and legal obligations for marketplaces to prevent the sale of hazardous products.