The National Bed Federation (NBF) has estimated that this kind of ‘mattress fraud’ costs the country’s mattress industry around 100 million pounds (US$125.66 million) every year.
According to the NBF, more than 280,000 consumers purchase mattresses from unauthorized retailers annually in an effort to reduce living expenses, and this number is growing.
In addition to damaging the nation’s economy, the trade organization cautions that such purchases may actually be unhygienic, second-hand mattresses, or even unsafe due to the use of banned materials.
Mattresses bought from “back of the van” vendors, in particular, can be extremely dangerous, the NBF said. “It’s basically part of the shadow economy – traders flogging cheap, and often unsafe or reclaimed, mattresses door-to-door for cash,” said Simon Williams, NBF’s spokesperson.
The NBF has emphasized that mattresses “not purchased through a reputable retailer are cheaply manufactured products that are likely to be worth less than 100 pounds ($125.74), and that they may contain a very basic spring unit with a polyester fiber pad or a layer of cheap foam over it, all covered in a cheap outer covering material.”
Furthermore, such mattresses could have an old, used spring unit as well as dirty fillings, according to the NBF. The organization has also cited cases “where rogue traders have simply placed old mattresses inside brand-new covers and passed off the products as new.”
The NBF has urged customers to purchase mattresses from authorized retailers only, such as those that are NBF-approved, and to look for certification from other industry organizations such as the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA).
NBF-approved retailers have been inspected and their products have been tested to ensure that they are safe, clean, and meet the required standards of quality.
Purchasing a mattress is a significant investment, and it is important to ensure that the product purchased is safe, clean, and of good quality, the organization said. Consumers should be cautious when purchasing mattresses from unauthorized retailers and look for certification from industry organizations. By doing so, customers can help to support the U.K. mattress sector and protect their own health and well-being, it said.