Trading Standards are asking people to beware of counterfeit goods this festive period. It is believed that around £90 million is spent each year on counterfeit toys and presents at Christmas according to reports.
These counterfeit goods are not only fake, but some of them also fail to meet UK safety standards and can put lives at risk.
Customs officials this year have already detained 21 000 consignments of counterfeit goods at UK borders including 170 000 fake items in one haul alone.
Saving money can be a tempting prospect at this time of year, but Phil Buckle from safety awareness organisation Electrical Safety First said: "We understand that cheaper products can always be tempting but if it turns out to be counterfeit or substandard, then it could be putting you or a loved one at risk. With half of all house fires caused by faulty electrical goods, buying a knock-off product can be a cost too high to pay."
Some of the horror stories told by Trading Standards include products such as make up that have been found to contain lead, and alcohol based gifts found to have traces of methanol and antifreeze.
When shopping, Trading Standards have advised to consider the four Ps, which are:
