News
Whirpool criticised for ‘silencing customers’ amid tumble dryer fi re risks
Domestic appliance manufacturer, Whirlpool, has been heavily criticised by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee, which highlighted Whirlpool’s use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to “silence customers”, saying the company “had tried to defl ect the concerns of safety organisations and customers”.
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The BEIS Committee has condemned the USA-headquartered manufacturer for its “slow response” in modifying or replacing faulty tumble dryers during its recall campaign earlier this year. MPs have now said it is “astonishing” that, four years after Whirlpool admitted its defective tumble dryers pose a fi re risk, as many as 800,000 could still remain in people’s homes
Back in the summer, Whirlpool launched a full recall of tumble dryers following a lengthy safety campaign that began in 2015 that had already resolved the issue for 1.7 million people. Despite this, the manufacturer said
there were still people who had not yet engaged with the recall campaign, and that it was “vital” they came forward. The BEIS Committee report welcomed
this recall, but said it took “far too long” for the Government to force the move. It also expressed concerns, shared by
safety organisations, about the safety of Whirlpool’s modifi cation. “Whirlpool’s response to fi xing safety
fl aws in its tumble dryers has too often owed more to PR management than to taking the practical steps to make its machines safe for customers,” said BEIS Committee Chairwoman, Rachel Reeves.
“A damning indictment of Whirpool’s handling of their recall”
Electrical Safety First
“The saga has dragged on for far too long, leaving customers, now four years on, still fearing they may have potentially unsafe tumble dryers in their homes. Whirlpool has failed to live up to the duties it owes to its customers. “Whirlpool’s prime obligation was to fi x the safety issues with its tumble dryers rather than in engage in disgraceful tactics such as using NDAs to silence customers who have been the victim of fi res involving its products.” Jeff Noel, Vice-President of Whirlpool,
said: “People’s safety is our top priority, which is why Whirlpool welcomes the report by the BEIS Select Committee to raise awareness of ongoing safety improvements in the UK. “We pledge to continue to work with the OPSS (Offi ce of Product Safety and Standards) and members of the BEIS Select Committee and Government to help advance product safety in the UK.” Technical Director of Electrical Safety First, Martyn Allen, commented: “This report from the Select Committee is a damning indictment of Whirlpool’s handling of their recall, and echoes many of our own concerns. “A recall should have been implemented when the faults were fi rst discovered with the machines back in 2015 and had Whirlpool done this, we may have seen fewer fi res attributed to
affected tumble dryers. Furthermore, NDAs should not be used for a safety issue such as this and the Select Committee is right to criticise Whirlpool’s use of them.
“Moving forward, it is essential for the
Government to now take note of the recommendations included in the report related to bettering access to information around recalls. A centralised recall database would form part of the solution in ensuring people are not left in the dark as to whether a dangerous product is in their home.
“Our own research has found that consumers believe registering appliances is a timely and inconvenient process, and the recommendation of registering at the point of purchase could help tackle the relatively low number of registered electrical items in the UK.”
ERT teams up with TRIC ahead of star-studded Christmas lunch
If you’re still trying to decide how to make your Christmas extra special, then make sure it starts with the TRIC Awards Christmas Lunch, which takes place at The Grosvenor, Park Lane in London on 10 December. Join newly-appointed TRIC President, Lorraine Kelly, plus our nation’s favourite TV and radio stars to kick-off the festive season in style.
Guests will enjoy a three-course lunch, starting with a champagne reception from 11.30am. There will also be performances by West End musical star, Cassidy Janson, and a legendary ‘surprise’ artist who is one of our very own national treasures.
TRIC’s charity raffl e will be hosted by Absolute Radio DJ, Dave Berry, and the Christmas carol sing-along will be sure to get everyone in the festive spirit. ERT is a trade media partner for TRIC for 2019-2020. As a result, Christmas has come early for ERT readers as there is a special 25 per cent discount off tickets for the star-studded Christmas Lunch. For further information on TRIC, please visit
www.tric.org.uk, and to take up this 25 per cent offer for the Christmas Lunch please contact
alexia@tric.org.uk and quote ‘ERT’ in the subject line, or call directly on 020 3476 7159.
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