On 28 March 2014, Hertfordshire County Council鈥檚 Trading Standards officers bought an Edwards Tools & Accessories Hi-Viz Safety Vest for 拢1 from Poundworld in Watford. The vest was subsequently tested to measure its visibility in low-light conditions and the results were described as 鈥榓mongst the worst results ever recorded鈥� by the testing company.
Following this, Poundworld agreed to withdraw the product from sale on 5th June 2014.
The vest was then tested for visibility in daytime light conditions and again failed. As a result, Poundworld conducted a national recall of the products on 16th January 2015.
Poundworld had sold more than 95,000 of the vests before issuing a recall notice. As the name of the store suggests, the items were sold for just 拢1 each.
Last week St Albans Crown Court fined Poundworld 拢15,000 and ordered it to pay 拢42,395.10 in an agreed confiscation order as well as 拢6,123.16 in costs.
Poundworld has had five previous convictions between 2008 and 2013 for other consumer protection law breaches.
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