Amazon and TikTok Shop have found themselves at the center of a major scandal. An investigation by The Sunday Times revealed that jewelry containing massive doses of cadmium—a heavy metal known for its carcinogenic properties—was being sold to customers disguised as sterling silver.

In industrial settings, cadmium is typically used in the manufacturing of batteries and metal plating. However, when it comes into contact with the human body, it damages the kidneys, liver, lungs, and bones, and causes cancer.

Under UK law, the permissible cadmium content in jewelry must not exceed 0.01%. However, independent laboratory tests yielded shocking results:

• A ring from Amazon (seller: Littleduckling, price: £2.99): consisted of over 92% cadmium, exceeding the British legal limit by 9,000 times!

• A charm bracelet from TikTok Shop (seller: Perform Pearls): contained the toxic metal at a volume exceeding the limit by nearly 3,300 times.

What is the danger to everyday shoppers?

Normally, cadmium is not absorbed through intact skin in large quantities (the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] estimates absorption at just 0.5%). However, the risks spike dramatically under the following conditions:

1. Food contact: A person adjusts a ring or bracelet and then touches their lips or food with their hands.

2. Earrings and piercings: Wearing cadmium jewelry in fresh or irritated piercings gives the toxin direct access to the bloodstream.

3. Cumulative effect: Cadmium is virtually impossible for the body to excrete, accumulating in the kidneys and bones (causing osteoporosis), as well as triggering kidney and lung cancer.

This is far from the first such incident. Dangerous levels of cadmium have previously been detected in jewelry from major retail chains, and the UK’s Product Safety and Standards watchdog regularly intercepts and destroys shipments of cheap costume jewelry from Amazon right at the border. Experts strongly advise against buying suspiciously cheap "silver" jewelry on online marketplaces.

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