Infoo Delighted to Join Charity Retail Association as a Corporate Member

Infoo is a UK company that stands at the forefront of product safety and inventory management, revolutionising how retailers, facilities managers, and landlords approach asset oversight. Through cutting-edge AI-driven technologies, Infoo offers a comprehensive suite of solutions that enhance safety, efficiency, and compliance across various sectors.  Infoo supports retailers in partnership with Trading Standards in a bid to improve appliance safety and product recall awareness across the UK.

There are tens of millions of unsafe electrical appliances in circulation today, leading to weekly fires and safety events occurring. According to the Home Office, in the 12 months ending September 2023, there were 39,045 building fires in England. Every week in England alone, there are approximately 61 serious fires caused by faulty electrical goods. This demonstrates a clear need for people and businesses to have an easy and effective tool to check if their products have been deemed faulty and subsequently recalled by manufacturers.

The existing pathways for communicating recalls and product safety notices to individuals and organisations are inadequate and ineffective. Worryingly, in the UK, only 10%-20% of recalled appliances actually get recalled, therefore, the necessary repairs are not carried out, and dangerous products remain in circulation.

Charity retailers are increasingly exposed to financial and reputational damage as a result of the potential to unknowingly sell appliances which are the subject of a recall notice or safety advisory from the manufacturer. There are now ways to help minimise the risk, through utilising Infoo’s products.

At the heart of Infoo's offerings is its innovative product label analysis system, a tool which is currently being integrated by a major charity in the retail sector. This advanced technology empowers retailers to make informed decisions about the safety of the items they are selling, alerting them to product recalls and safety notices simply by taking a photograph of an appliance product label. Infoo has developed one of the most comprehensive recall datasets in the UK, bringing all publicly available information into one source for the first time.

This proactive approach significantly reduces risks associated with potentially hazardous items, ensuring customer safety and brand protection. It also improves revenues by increasing the scope of items which can be responsibly sold, enabling retailers to sell large white and electrical goods with greater assurances that they are compliant.

Infoo’s services can be integrated with current appliance safety operations and is a straightforward tool to use. It allows for the standardisation of safety checks across all employees/volunteers, resulting in a commonality of service.

Beyond retail, Infoo's expertise extends to asset management solutions tailored for estate managers overseeing diverse appliance portfolios. Whether in student accommodation, care homes, or the hospitality industry, Infoo's systems provide real-time insights and streamlined inventory control. This not only optimises operational efficiency but also ensures compliance with safety regulations, ultimately fostering peace of mind for both managers and end-users.

The Infoo team looks forward to meeting other members of the CRA and working together to advocate for the increased enhancement of product safety in the charity retail sector.

Infoo Partners with HPS to Elevate Safety Standards in the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation Market

London, 22nd of April 2024: Infoo Limited, the technology firm behind the innovative RecallChecker solution, is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with HPS, a leading provider of Facility Management Services. This collaboration aims to address the critical issue of appliance safety in multi-occupancy dwellings, particularly within the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) market.

Highlights

● With a steady rise in fires in multi-occupancy dwellings, this partnership is set to revolutionise safety protocols by providing Infoo's RecallChecker solution to the PBSA and BTR markets.

● HPS Services, renowned for its exceptional Facility Management Services, focuses on purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent properties, making it an ideal partner for Infoo.

● HPS provides services to Unite Students, the largest PBSA provider in the UK.

● The collaboration will leverage Infoo’s technology to conduct comprehensive safety audits of electrical appliances across properties managed by HPS Services as well as constant monitoring of the recall status of its electrical products, ensuring the highest standards of resident safety and regulatory compliance.

● Over 10 million recalled and dangerous electrical products are currently in circulation in the UK, with only 10-20% having been identified and removed. Infoo's RecallChecker is designed to help building owners mitigate the risk of serious fires caused by these products.

The partnership between Infoo and HPS arrives at a crucial time when fires in multi-occupancy dwellings are on a worrying rise. This collaboration is poised to make a significant impact within the PBSA market by deploying Infoo's advanced RecallChecker solution.

The partnership aims to tackle the pressing issue of fire safety head-on, addressing the widespread presence of over 10 million recalled and dangerous electrical products within the UK, of which only a small fraction has been successfully removed from circulation.

By consolidating all existing safety data into one accessible place for the first time, Infoo’s service simplifies the once laborious process of checking for recalled and dangerous products.

This move is a testament to both company's dedication to protecting properties and their occupants from potential hazards.

By offering multiple access points to its service, including a user-friendly app and API integration, Infoo ensures that its Safety as a Service solutions is seamlessly incorporated into the daily operations of PBSAs managed by HPS. Infoo’s automated checking and tracking service allowsproviders to ‘click and forget’ this issue whilst continuously protecting themselves and their customers from liability and danger.

Paul Livett, CEO of Infoo, commented:

“We are delighted to partner with HPS Services to bring the company and our RecallChecker solution to the forefront of the PBSA market. This partnership underscores our commitment to enhancing safety and streamlining the process for property managers to ensure their buildings are free from recalled and dangerous electrical products.

“This partnership is not just about immediate safety improvements; it's about setting a new standard in property management. By incorporating our RecallChecker technology, HPS is set to redefine fire safety standards in property management, ensuring a safer and more secure environment for both residents and property owners.”

Oliver Ringsby-Burgess, Group Managing Director of HPS, said:

“Working with Infoo represents a significant advancement in our ability to ensure the safety of the properties we manage. The RecallChecker solution is a testament to the innovation that Infoo brings to the table, and we are excited to integrate this technology into our services.”

About Infoo

Infoo is built on the idea of leveraging technology in order to take the pain out of the process. For the first time, it is possible to automatically identify electrical items and cross-reference them against all recalls for items sold in the UK.

Once a recall has been identified, these products can be tracked in real time to ensure that new recalls do not pose a danger.

Infoo recently formed a Primary Authority Partnership with Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards. This is a great endorsement for the Infoo app from the largest provider of Primary Authority services in the UK.

About HPS Services

HPS is the sector defining FM partner for the PBSA and BTR sectors, and we are guided by our vision that “everyone deserves a fantastic place to live, learn, work, and stay”.

HPS already works with the major brands across both the PBSA and BTR sectors, and have built an enviable reputation for helping our clients to create phenomenal environments and real communities in the developments we support.

www.hps-services.com

ENDS

For further information, please visit our website at www.infoo.com or contact:

BlytheRay

• Tim Blythe

• Megan Ray

• Said Izagaren

• James Mulligan

• Matt Bowld

+44 (0) 207 138 3205

infoo@blytheray.com

Paul Livett (Infoo CEO) writes about the most overlooked safety issue in purpose-built, multi-occupancy accommodation.

If you would like Infoo to help protect your business’s reputation, and more importantly, the safety of the people that use the appliances and devices that you provide, then get in touch with Infoo today by clicking the button below.

References

1. As per Electrical Direct statistics from 2021, there are approximately 55 household fires a week caused by electrical items. With the inclusion of figures from The Guardian in 2023 on lithium battery fires, this goes up to over 61 fires a week. 

2. Infoo commissioned a YouGov survey in July 2023. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).  Total sample size in 2023 was 2230 adults and fieldwork was undertaken between 17 and 18 July 2023.  Total sample size in 2021 was 2106 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12 and 15 March 2021.

Nearly 7 in 10 UK Adults Unaware of Potential Hazards in their Homes, Reveals YouGov Survey

 This Black Friday/Cyber Monday, Download the Infoo App and Check Your Appliances for Any Recalls

• Infoo has received new survey data from YouGov into people’s views and habits surrounding product recalls and product registration.

o 67% of adults have never checked if their goods have been recalled by manufacturers.

o 31% of adults have no appliances registered with the manufacturer.

• Dangerous products that may have been recalled due to being faulty are still being

  used daily in many homes, posing fire risks.

• Infoo has launched a free app that alerts users of recalls on their home appliances, and allows users to register products directly with the manufacturer in one click.

• Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a time in which people take the opportunity to buy new products for the home at discounted prices. Why not also spend a few minutes adding existing and new household appliances to the Infoo app? Users will be notified if any products are subject to a recall notice, and will be made aware of any recalls in the future.

• The Infoo app is free to download from major app stores.

  London, 23 November 2023 — A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Infoo, reveals a concerning gap in the public's awareness regarding the safety of the products they use daily in their homes. The study shows that 67% of adults in the UK have not checked whether their appliances have been recalled by manufacturers, inadvertently increasing the risk of accidents at home.

  Key Findings of Survey:

• 31% of adults have not registered any appliances with manufacturers, a critical step in ensuring the products' safety and longevity.

• Despite 84% of adults recognising the importance of verifying product recalls, only 33% have actively done so.

• 46% of the non-compliant responders cited a lack of knowledge on how to check recalls as the primary reason for their inaction.

  Every week in England, there are approximately 61 fires caused by faulty goodsi. This demonstrates a clear need for people to have an easy and effective tool to check if their products have been deemed faulty and subsequently recalled by manufacturers. Products that

may have been recalled because they are faulty are still being used daily in many homes across the country, posing potential dangers to families.

Paul Livett, CEO of Infoo, commented: “Our main priority at Infoo is providing people with the tools to keep their homes and their families safe. Our research has found that, whilst adults across the UK are aware of the importance of ensuring their products haven’t been recalled, a lot of them don’t know where to start when looking for this information.

“On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, everyone is on their phones searching for the best deals they can find. What happens if these products end up being dangerous, but people miss the recall notice put out by a manufacturer? The solution is the Infoo app, which is continuously updating its database of recalled products.

“People should take a few minutes to download the Infoo app, scan the labels of the products they already have to see if there are any recalls, and then once any new purchases arrive after the sales, scan these too. That way, if there is a recall further down the line, the Infoo app will notify the user and advise on next steps to take, thereby stopping you from having a dangerous appliance in your home.

“Infoo is committed to providing an easy to use service, supported by a huge database of recall information which will alert users to any existing or future registered faulty goods in their home.”

Infoo App

Infoo has launched a free app that allows people to easily check appliances are safe. Users can scan a picture of the product label of their household appliances, which automatically cross references against the Company’s extensive database of recalls.

The Infoo app alerts users if any of the products they upload have been recalled by the manufacturer and provides users with necessary information on the steps to take to either acquire a replacement, arrange a repair, or return the faulty item. The app is free to use and could potentially mitigate dangerous situations caused by faulty goods.

The Infoo app also includes an artificial intelligence (AI) driven bot with a ‘chat with us’ function which uses conversational AI to help process user troubleshooting queries and direct them to appropriate how-to guides and resources. The AI technology can respond to enquiries made on WhatsApp and has the capacity to work with Amazon’s Alexa. Infoo is currently in the process of incorporating the Alexa feature into the app.

RecallChecker Website
Infoo has also launched a website called RecallChecker, a free-to-use service, which serves as more of a one-off checking tool.

A user can input the information and check immediately if a product has been recalled, without having to download an app onto their phone.

YouGov Results – 2023* vs 2021**

How important do you think it is to check your household appliances for manufacturer recalls?

- ENDS -

For further information, please visit our website at www.infoo.com or contact: BlytheRay

Tim Blythe

Megan Ray

Said Izagaren

James Mulligan

Matt Bowld

McKinley Sadler

+44 (0) 207 138 3205 infoo@blytheray.com

About Infoo

Infoo is a free app that allows users to upload an image of the product label of their appliance and cross references the product label with its large database of product recall information. Once a recall has been identified, the app will alert the user to the recall and provide them with the necessary information to take the next step in acquiring a replacement, having the necessary repairs made by the manufacturer or returning the faulty item.

Infoo recently formed a Primary Authority Partnership with Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards. This is a great endorsement for the Infoo app from the largest provider of Primary Authority services in the UK.

YouGov survey

Infoo commissioned a YouGov survey in July 2023. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

*Total sample size was 2230 adults and fieldwork was undertaken between 17th - 18th July 2023.

**Total sample size was 2106 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 15th March 2021.

i As per Electrical Direct statistics from 2021, there are approximately 55 household fires a week caused by electrical items. With the inclusion of figures from The Guardian in 2023 on lithium battery fires, this goes up to over 61 fires a week. Since 2020, lithium battery fires have quadrupled, injuring 190 and resulting in the deaths of 8 people. https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/blog/which-appliances-cause-the-most-fires-at-home https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/may/02/e-bike-e-scooter-battery-fires-uk-data

Infoo signs Primary Authority Partnership with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards

London, 28 March 2023: Infoo, the innovative tech company behind the Infoo App, is delighted to announce that it has formed a Primary Authority Partnership with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, for an initial period of one year.

Highlights

• Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards is the largest provider of Primary Authority services in the UK

• Infoo will collaborate with the Trading Standards to improve the accessibility of product recall information and consumer safety.

Paul Livett, CEO of Infoo, commented: “We are very pleased that the Primary Authority Partnership has been nominated, and that we will be working with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards. This partnership is a big endorsement for the Infoo app, and the services it provides, as it signifies the growing concern of safety for homeowners.

“Our main priority at Infoo is providing people with the tools to keep their homes and their families safe. Our survey commissioned by YouGov has found that, whilst adults across the UK are aware of the importance of ensuring their products haven’t been recalled, a lot of them don’t know where to start when looking for this information.  

“Infoo is committed to providing an easy-to-use service, supported by a huge database of recall information which will alert users to any existing or future registered faulty goods in their home.”

Michele Manson, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, commented: “Getting the right product information to the right people at the right time is an important step to help protect consumers. We are delighted to be working with Infoo to support the development of their services in this area.”

About Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards

Buckinghamshire and Surrey formed a joint Trading Standards in 2015 and is the largest provider of Primary Auhtority services in the UK, and has partnerships with companies including Shell UK, Toyota GB and Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners Ltd. 

The Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards team has extensive experience on advising businesses, protecting consumers, ensuring fair trading practices are operated, and promoting a safe trading environment.

Infoo App

Infoo has launched a free app that allows people to easily check appliances are safe. Users can scan a picture of the product label of their household appliances, which automatically cross references against the Company’s extensive database of recalls. 

The Infoo app alerts users if any of the products they upload have been recalled by the manufacturer and provides users with necessary information on the steps to take to either acquire a replacement, arrange a repair, or return the faulty item. If there are any subsequent product recalls further down the line, the user will get a notification.

The App also contains product information, warranty tracking and ‘how-to’ guides for users. Infoo’s overall aim is to help users get the most from their appliances. 

The Infoo app is free to download from major app stores.

ENDS

For further information, please visit our website at www.infoo.com or contact:

BlytheRay

Tim Blythe

Megan Ray  

Said Izagaren

James Mulligan

Matt Bowld

McKinley Sadler

+44 (0) 207 138 3205   

infoo@blytheray.com

Notes to Editors

Infoo is a free app that allows users to upload an image of the product label of their appliance and cross references the product label with its large database of product recall information. Once a recall has been identified, the app will alert the user to the recall and provide them with the necessary information to take the next step in acquiring a replacement, having the necessary repairs made by the manufacturer or returning the faulty item. 

App will help protect UK Homes from Fires

App created to alert users of product recalls wants to raise awareness of the potential dangers of not checking for faulty appliances 

• 90 per cent of adults in the UK don’t know how many fires are caused by household appliances every year 

• Whilst 83 per cent of UK adults believe it is important to check household goods for product recalls, 60 per cent have not checked 

• Of the 40 per cent that have checked their goods for recalls, over half have not done so for more than two years 

• Infoo has launched a free app that alerts users of recalls on their home appliances 

• Users upload the product label and the app checks the data against current and previous recalls 

London, 13 June 2022: Every week in England, there are at least 35 house fires caused by faulty white goodsi, yet a YouGov survey commissioned by Infoo has shown that 90 per cent of adults in the UK are unaware of the dangers posed by household appliances every year. Products that may have been recalled because they are faulty, are still being used daily in many homes across the country posing potential dangers to families. 

The survey showed 83 per cent of adults across the UK understand the importance of checking products to see if they had been recalled, only two fifths (40 per cent) of adults have ever checked their products for recall notices. Nearly two thirds (60 per cent) of adults have never checked if their goods have been recalled by manufacturers. Of those who have not checked, 41 per cent say that it is because they don’t know how to. 

Infoo has launched a free app that allows you to easily check appliances are safe by uploading a picture of the product label and automatically cross checks your white goods against its database of recalls. 

The Infoo app alerts users if any of the products they upload have been recalled, at any point, by the manufacturer and provides users with details on the next steps. The app is free to use and could potentially mitigate dangerous situations caused by faulty goods. 

The Infoo app also includes an artificial intelligence (AI) driven bot with a ‘chat with us’ function which uses conversational AI to help process user troubleshooting queries using natural language processing (NLP) and direct them to appropriate how-to guides and resources. The AI technology can respond to enquiries made on WhatsApp and has the capacity to work with Amazon’s Alexa. Infoo is currently in the process of incorporating the Alexa feature into the app. 

Paul Livett, CEO of Infoo, commented: “Our main priority at Infoo is providing people with the tools to keep their homes and their families safe. Our research has found that, whilst adults across the UK are aware of the importance of ensuring their products haven’t been recalled, a lot of them don’t know where to start when looking for this information. 

i As per electricalsafetyfirst.org statistics for 2019 from electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk. According to research from Electrical Direct, this number increased to 43 fires a week in 2020 https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/blog/which-appliances-cause-the-most-fires-at-home 

“Infoo is committed to providing an easy to use service, supported by a huge database of recall information which will alert users to any existing or future registered faulty goods in their home.” 

The Infoo app will be free to download from major app stores. 

ENDS 

For further information, please visit our website at www.infoo.com or contact: 

BlytheRay

Tim Blythe 

Megan Ray 

Alice McLaren 

Madeleine Gordon-Foxwell 

+44 (0) 207 138 3205 

infoo@blytheray.com