- Major British retailers, including Currys, Argos, Halfords and Amazon, are under fire for marketing e-scooters for “urban riding” and “commuting”.
- Privately owned e-scooters are illegal for use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements in the UK, a fact often downplayed or omitted in promotional material.
- Police and coroners have issued warnings about the serious risks of injury or death, with 10 fatalities and 1,484 injuries reported last year from e-scooter collisions.
- A 2022 inquest into the death of a 14-year-old girl prompted a coroner to criticise retailers for selling e-scooters without adequate legal warnings.
- Following investigations, some retailers like Argos and Currys have begun updating their websites to remove misleading language and provide clearer legal disclaimers.
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