Panda Mart is at the centre of an urgent safety warning issued by Energy Safe Victoria, advising consumers to stop using table lamps purchased from the retailer due to a serious risk of electric shock or electrocution.

“We are calling on everyone who has bought a table lamp at the Panda Mart store in Cranbourne to stop using it immediately,” said Leanne Hughson, Energy Safe Victoria CEO.

“I cannot emphasise how important this is. These lamps are potentially deadly.”

The lamps have been sold since Panda Mart opened on February 27 with potentially hundreds of units already in customers’ homes.

Some of the lamps featured covers over the wiring that could be easily removed, while others had fully exposed wires, providing direct access to live electrical parts.

Energy Safe compliance officers conducted an inspection at Panda Mart on March 12, uncovering additional safety hazards, including unsafe study desks with socket outlets that also had the potential to expose live electrical parts.

In response to the findings, Panda Mart has agreed to immediately cease the sale of the table lamps and remove the socket outlets from the study desks.

Energy Safe Victoria is reminding all consumers that household mains-operated electrical products sold in Victoria should carry the regulatory compliance mark, indicating they meet the required safety standards.

Earlier this month, Consumers Affairs Victoria issued an urgent public warning to Panda Mart customers after it found toys and baby rattles containing button batteries that were insufficiently secured or labelled and other items including cosmetic products that failed safety standards.