Are two-pin plugs safe in Malta?

I have written to you before and you gave me ample space and notice. This time I write to you about something that must affect nearly everybody. In Malta we adopted the UK plugs for electricity. We have the big, square three-pin plug for our electrical appliances. Italy, Germany and others have different systems.

I recently bought two appliances and both carried the German two big pins. I asked for two (Maltese) three-pin plugs and because they had to be heavy duty he asked for additional money.

Do you think it is fair to buy an electrical appliance in Malta with foreign plugs?

Moreover, what about those who do not know how to change a plug? What should they do? (Anthony Zammit)

This is indeed an interesting issue well worth discussing in our column. In Malta we have adopted the British three-pin plug as opposed to the continental two-pin plug. In my opinion, the British system is safer. Indeed the European Committee for Electro-technical Standards, an independent organisation consisting of representatives of industry and national standardisation bodies from various countries, would not force domestic users of electricity to replace their three-pin plugs should a European norm ever be introduced. They can simply carry on using the same system as before.

Electricity is potentially fatal. We all know it can kill and there are consumers who do not know how to change a plug. Therefore, whenever a continental electrical appliance comes with a two-pin plug, the seller must either change the plug or supply the buyer with an appropriate adaptor.

My reply to Mr Zammit's question is most definitely "No!", it is not fair to sell an electrical appliance in Malta with two-pin plugs. A seller must not put a consumer in a situation where he or she has to change a plug which, for certain people, is dangerous and potentially fatal. Indeed, one of the eight internationally recognised consumer rights is "the right to safety", which makes it illegal to sell a product which is unsafe.

In any case, still from a legal point of view, there is a new law in the pipeline on this issue and we will be covering it in this column. In the meantime I urge consumers either to #insist on a three-pin plug or an adapter.

If the seller refuses to co-operate maximise on "market forces" (il-ligi tas-suq) by not buying the item in question. Moreover, write to me about it with a view to sharing the information with fellow consumers.