Don’t buy supposedly ‘cheap’ mattresses from the back of a van. At worst they could be fire hazards and at best uncomfortable and dirty.
That’s the warning from the National Bed Federation (NBF) today as it officially launches a new mark of approval designed to protect consumers from a scam that is sweeping the nation.
The NBF believes hundreds, possibly thousands, of so-called ‘bargain mattresses’ are being sold across the country each week. The sales are often straight from the back of vans by rogue traders touring neighbourhoods and looking for opportunist sales. But they are not bargains at all: often they are simply discarded old mattresses that have been recovered by unscrupulous dealers who then sell them on ‘as new’.
Said Jessica Alexander, executive director of the NBF: “What we have uncovered is an illegal and dangerous practice. Some of the mattresses being sold won’t meet UK flammability regulations – others are just plain filthy and worn out.
“Unfortunately a lot of consumers are being fooled into thinking they are buying a new mattress as the old ones have been recovered and, on first inspection, appear to be new. What they are actually buying is a mattress that had been discarded, intercepted on its way to disposal and simply put in to a cheap new cover.”
Some of the more brazen traders are even using the logos of well-known manufacturers and retailers on their vans to further fool consumers into believing they are ‘bagging a bargain’. We would encourage members of the public to come forward if they feel that they have bought something which is not up to standard. In our experience, products such as mattresses that are sold off the back of a van in this way should be treated with extreme caution. Consumers will not necessarily know who they are buying from and will find it extremely difficult to obtain any recompense.”
We would urge the public to come forward and report cases to us, via the CACS on 08454 040506, as without their help we are unable to know the true extent of this problem.”
