The China Consumers Association (CCA) said July 24 that consumers are regularly electrocuted by faulty appliances, or their clothes ripped to shreds in dodgy washing machines.

The CCA even announced nine appliance-related deaths between April and June. The Kyodo News says this is because until recently, owning a refrigerator was considered such an honour that to "moan about the quality was rank ingratitude." Certain unscrupulous manufacturers have therefore made no efforts to improve safety. The State Quality and Technical Supervision Administration accordingly announced that manufacturers of faulty goods would be severely punished.