SOFA CHAINS FEEL DISCOMFORT AS BBC WATCHDOG SCRATCHES AT OLD WOUNDS

14th October | upholstery | Consumer affairs television programme BBC Watchdog has alleged a second Chinese upholstery manufacturer is selling ‘itchy sofas’ to UK retailers. Eurosofa, which supplies Land of Leather, is the second company to be named following the programme’s high profile investigation into sofas supplied by Linkwise in its previous series.

Many consumers have complained of suffering from a severe skin reaction after contact with their new upholstery – a problem caused by a sachet of fungicide put inside the sofas to prevent mould, according to Watchdog.

The initial probe has already resulted in lawyers preparing a class action on behalf of more than 3,500 consumers against some 71 retailers.  Argos, Land of Leather and Walmsleys were among the retailers named in the first investigation by the television programme.

Richard Langton, the lawyer leading the High Court class action against Linkwise retailers, told Watchdog that a second manufacturer being linked to the problem means "potentially there could be hundreds of thousands or even millions of pieces of furniture that have got this fungicide in it which must be of enormous concern to the community, to governments and trading standards."

Despite its labels being clearly visible, Eurosofa said it had not manufactured the sofas featured on the programme.

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