Balloons with illegal levels of chemicals that can cause cancer sold in UK shops
Balloons containing dangerously high levels of carcinogenic substances are available to UK consumers via leading online marketplaces, an investigation has found.
Platforms such as Debenhams, eBay, The Range, AliExpress and Shein were found to be selling products containing up to six times the legal limit of these harmful chemicals.
This alarming discovery comes despite more than 100 brands being recalled or flagged in official product safety warnings over the past decade.
Which consumer group? purchased 21 packs of latex balloons from seven online retailers; Tests revealed that the concentration of the carcinogenic chemical in eight of them significantly exceeded permissible limits in the UK.
Tests revealed that a balloon from AliExpress contained more than six times the legally permitted level of nitrosamines (possibly carcinogenic chemicals).
An eBay balloon and one from The Range, also available at Wilko, were found to contain more than four times the safe levels of nitrosamines.
Wilko said it independently tested these products in June 2025 and found them to be safe.
“However, as customer safety remains our top priority, we have recalled the balloons from our stores and website as a precaution while we conduct further testing.”
A balloon purchased from Debenhams contained more than twice the legal amount of nitrosamines (chemicals that can turn into nitrosamines when mixed with saliva).
Which? Consumer testimonies suggest the investigation may be just the “tip of the iceberg” for dangerous balloons being sold on online marketplaces.
Trevor and Lucille Mathers bought balloons from Amazon Marketplace for their child’s birthday in March 2024, the Observer said.
Exactly a year later, Amazon sent Trevor and Lucille a warning that the balloons they purchased could cause cancer, with the consumer group saying the product contained at least 25 times the legal limit of potentially carcinogenic chemicals.
The warning stated that the substances in the balloons may cause cancer through ingestion or dermal exposure, and that a child could be exposed if he touches them or puts them in his mouth.
“Months after Amazon knew the balloons were full of carcinogens but didn’t tell us, it wasn’t easy to read when you know your kids were doing exactly that,” Mr Mathers told Which?
Amazon said it immediately removed the balloons from sale following the notification. Then, when the request to contact customers came, it happened immediately.
Natalie Hitchins, who works for Which, said she bought two packs of balloons from Shein for her son’s birthday.
She said: “The strong chemical smell coming from a pack of superhero-themed balloons was really noticeable. When I inflated them my lips went numb, all I could taste were the chemicals and I felt dizzy. At that moment my partner came into the room and was shocked by the chemical smell.”
Which? He tested the balloons Ms Hitchens had purchased and found they contained more than twice the legally permitted level of nitrosamines.
The consumer group said a seller at the Shein store reported 99,000 sales for balloons containing more than twice the legal limit of nitrosamines.
Another seller of carcinogenic balloons had 277 listings on eBay and claimed to have sold more than 300,000 – but which one? Confirmed that he did not test the rest of the lists beyond what was stated.
Which? Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “Allowing children to be exposed to high concentrations of carcinogenic substances is outrageous, especially given the repeated official safety warnings against balloons over the last 10 years.
“Seeingly innocent objects such as party balloons can cause serious health problems if the necessary checks are not carried out to ensure they comply with safety laws.
“The government should urgently prioritize secondary regulations for the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces to ensure the safety of products sold through third-party sellers, and impose strict sanctions for those who fall short.”
An AliExpress spokesperson said: “We take product safety very seriously and have strict rules and policies to ensure a safe online shopping environment. Third-party sellers who list products for sale on our marketplace must comply with applicable laws as well as our platform rules and policies.
“Lists of products that failed the test have been removed from the site. Our platform will inform consumers who purchase the products directly about risks, unsuitability for use, and support consumers’ refund requests.”
A Debenhams spokesperson said: “The product in question was listed by a third-party seller through our marketplace. As soon as we became aware of a potential security issue, we immediately removed this product and all similar listings under the same brand from our website.
“We have contacted the customer who purchased this product to inform them of the issue and provide support. Although the product is sold by an independent third-party vendor, we are in contact with them to understand how this occurred.”
An eBay spokesperson said: “Two listings identified by Whichever have been removed and sellers have been notified.
“We are examining the broader market to remove all listings offering identical products and automatically notify buyers of security issues.”
“Upon learning of these allegations, we immediately removed the materials from our site as a precaution while we investigate,” Shein said.
A spokesperson for Wilko said: “We independently tested these products in June 2025 and found them to be safe.
“However, as customer safety remains our top priority, we have recalled the balloons from our stores and website as a precautionary measure while we conduct further testing to confirm the suitability of these items.
“Any customer who purchased these balloons can receive a full refund by returning the item to us.”
Range removed the balloons from its site.
