The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2024
Three Rakuten sellers advertised bike helmets as 'CE certified' when they were not
Kuramae Pharmaceutical, Infinity and Chromatic Fuga sold bike helmets claiming EU 'CE certified' — helmets that did not meet the EU safety standard.
Kuramae Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. · 2024-12-10
What happened
From at least 13 January 2024, Kuramae Pharmaceutical and Infinity sold 'cap helmet' cycling helmets on Rakuten storefronts 'arianna' and the shop run by Chromatic Fuga, advertising them with 'CE safety-standard certified' and 'CE certified' alongside images of the helmet being worn.
Chromatic Fuga sold its 'hat-type helmet' with the same 'CE certified' claim on its own 'Chizakura no Kuni no Alice' site from at least 19 January 2024. All three presented the helmets as conforming to the European Union's safety standard for bicycle helmets.
The helmets did not actually conform to the EU's safety standard or safety specification for bicycle helmets. The 'CE certified' badge was a certification the products had not earned.
Because the products were displayed as markedly superior to their real quality, the Consumer Affairs Agency found a violation of Article 5(1) of the Premiums and Representations Act and issued corrective orders on 10 and 11 December 2024.
Why it happened
- CE is a trusted European safety mark, so a fake one sells a helmet a shopper cannot test
- The certification claim moved a safety decision from the buyer to a badge
- Three sellers repeating the same false claim spread the risk across the whole line
The lesson
A safety mark is worth what the certifier verified. 'CE certified' on a helmet that failed the EU standard handed buyers a false safety guarantee — the CAA ordered all three sellers to stop.
Aftermath
Kuramae and Infinity were ordered to stop the false certification claims, publicise the violation and put recurrence-prevention measures in place; Chromatic Fuga received the same order reaching its directors and staff. The case is a warning against using a trusted foreign mark a product never earned.
Sources
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