Internet retailers are being accused of having “little appetite” to protect consumers after a study found a third of gold jewellery sold online could be fake.
Following a 10-day study, the British Hallmarking Council (BHC) said 6,377 listings – or 36% – did not mention a hallmark.
If jewellery is advertised as gold but does not have a hallmark, which confirms the product’s authenticity, it is being sold illegally.
Anything sold in the UK which is made from a precious metal – silver, gold, platinum and palladium – and is over a certain weight must have a hallmark.
About 150,000 items of fake gold jewellery could be on sale in the UK each year, the research suggests.
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BHC chairman, Noel Hunter, said the study highlighted “just a fraction” of the total number of infringements.
“We have seen little appetite from the internet giants to step up enforcement or adequately protect consumers,” he said.
“A duty of enforcement currently rests with local trading standards departments, who have suffered a 50% cut in their resources over the last five years.
“Adequate powers are necessary to deal with internet trade.”
Consumers should always ask an online seller if an item has been hallmarked, said Robert Organ, deputy warden at the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office.
“We are joining the British Hallmarking Council in calling on the government to work with us and the other assay offices in the UK to develop a robust enforcement strategy that protects consumers and businesses from internet based, unfair trading practices,” he said.
“This must include a review of the current Hallmarking Act to see if it could be extended to cover internet trade.
“We are also asking the government to work with Amazon and eBay to increase hallmarking information on precious metal jewellery listings, raising consumer and seller awareness about hallmarking and the law.”
Citizens Advice can provide information on hallmarking and help to resolve a dispute.
