The UOKiK laboratory tested 332 batches of clothing, jewellery and leather goods: cadmium more than 400 times the limit
On 15 May 2026 UOKiK published the results of its 2025 controls: the UOKiK laboratory in Łódź tested 332 batches of jewellery, clothing, leather goods, PVC tablecloths and bedding for cadmium, lead, chromium(VI), phthalates and formaldehyde. Limits were exceeded in 24 batches (more than 7 %).
- Scope: cadmium and lead in 111 batches of jewellery, chromium(VI) in 60 batches of natural leather goods, phthalates in 30 batches of PVC tablecloths, and formaldehyde in 131 batches of clothing (coats, jeans, printed clothing) and bedding for adults and children.
- Jewellery: 11 batches exceeded the limits (3 for both cadmium and lead, 6 for cadmium, 2 for lead); the highest cadmium content exceeded 40,000 mg/kg against a limit of 100 mg/kg, and lead 166,667 mg/kg against a limit of 500 mg/kg.
- PVC tablecloths: 11 batches with excess phthalates, the highest (5.70 ± 0.86) % against a limit of 0.1 %; leather goods: 2 batches with chromium(VI), the highest 6.4 mg/kg against a limit of 3 mg/kg. No exceedances were found in clothing and bedding tested for formaldehyde.
- 344 businesses were inspected; 7 decisions prohibiting further sale and 18 decisions requiring reimbursement of laboratory testing costs were issued, and the findings were passed to the State Sanitary Inspection. Chemical substance controls continue in 2026.
Source: UOKiK — Między nami jest chemia – kontrola Inspekcji Handlowej (15.05.2026)