FOLO-UP launches watchdog to spot unsafe online goods

A UK start-up has launched a digital monitoring service that scans online marketplaces for unsafe and recalled products and files automated removal requests with platform operators.

FOLO-UP, founded by London-based electrician and entrepreneur Joffrey Bogemans, tracks listings on more than 30 online marketplaces. The service focuses on products that have been flagged by regulators or subject to safety alerts and recalls.

The company said its system has identified nearly 100,000 unsafe listings so far. The listings have included electrical goods, children's toys, cosmetics, clothing and ladders.

FOLO-UP said marketplaces have removed up to 80% of unsafe listings detected in a given month after receiving its automated notifications.

Concerns over product safety on large platforms have grown alongside the rapid expansion of third-party sellers and cross-border eCommerce. Recent research from consumer group Which? reported hundreds of potentially dangerous products on major online marketplaces.

Automation focus

FOLO-UP positions itself as a "digital watchdog" that operates across multiple marketplaces. The system scans product listings and cross-references them against safety alerts and recall information.

The platform uses data from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the EU Safety Gate alert system. It then issues real-time alerts and conducts independent compliance monitoring.

The company said these functions allow regulators, retailers and industry partners to react more quickly when dangerous products appear online. It aims to strengthen existing enforcement processes, which often rely on manual reporting by consumers, watchdogs or brands.

Bogemans said online retail growth has outpaced the systems that monitor product safety.

"The UK's regulation and recall system is struggling to keep up with the unprecedented growth of online retail. Online marketplaces, many of which we all shop with on a weekly or sometimes daily basis, are of particular concern. They unwittingly allow items to be listed that are not only unsafe, but in some cases, life-threatening," said Joffrey Bogemans, Founder, FOLO-UP.

The launch comes ahead of the peak Christmas trading period, when demand for discounted products on online platforms typically increases. FOLO-UP said this seasonal spike can coincide with a rise in listings that do not meet safety standards.

Personal injury case

Bogemans developed the system after suffering an accident involving a telescopic ladder that he had bought online. The ladder claimed compliance with the EN 131 safety standard.

The product failed while he was working at a height of nearly five metres. He fell and suffered broken ribs and other injuries and was unable to work for eight weeks.

He said he still experiences lasting effects from the incident. His case later featured in an industry report on unsafe ladders from the Ladder Association.

Bogemans said his attempts to secure redress from the seller and the marketplace exposed structural gaps in current enforcement practices.

"I know first-hand how easy, and potentially dangerous, it is to purchase an item online that is unsafe. Nearly three years ago, I bought a telescopic ladder online which claimed to meet the necessary safety standards. After the ladder failed, leaving me off work for eight weeks, and with injuries that I still experience today, I made it my mission to ensure this couldn't happen to others. That is where the idea of FOLO-UP was born," said Bogemans.

Before retraining as a certified Level 3 NVQ Domestic and Industrial Electrician, Bogemans worked as a technology manager for a local council in Anderlecht, Belgium, and ran several IT consultancies. He began coding the first version of FOLO-UP during his recovery from the accident.

By mid-2024 he had an early system that could automatically scan marketplaces, identify potentially unsafe products and match them with public safety alerts and recalls. FOLO-UP now runs as a nationwide monitoring tool covering a broad range of consumer categories.

Regulators targeted

FOLO-UP said it is in discussions with regulators, retailers and industry bodies about potential partnerships. It is inviting organisations to join an early partner programme as it develops the next phase of the product.

The company said it wants its monitoring and alert functions to support existing regulatory and recall mechanisms. It also said collaboration with enforcement authorities and industry groups will shape how its data is used.

Bogemans has presented his experience and the FOLO-UP approach at industry events. He spoke at the Ladder Association's annual conference and appeared on BBC television discussing unsafe online products and his accident.

FOLO-UP plans to expand its dataset and marketplace coverage as more partners join the initiative and provide feedback on enforcement needs.