High street giants face £20m payout over ‘toxic sofas’

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated: 19:54 EST, 26 April 2010

A number of retail chains - including Argos and furniture outlet Walmsleys - are set to pay out up to £20m to customers who were injured after buying sofas which contained harmful chemicals.

Following an agreement in the High Court today, victims of the so-called ‘toxic sofas’ manufactured in China are set to receive payouts of between £1,175 and £9,000.

The victims suffered chemical burns, severe skin and eye complaints and other medical complications after exposure to the chemical DMF - dimethyl fumarate - in leather sofas made by Chinese firms Linkwise and Eurosofa.

Harmful: The sofas gave victims chemical burns and severe eye complaints

Lawyers for the victims launched a group action against the three retailers of the affected sofas - Argos, Land of Leather and Walmsleys - all of whom admitted liability. The legal action is believed to be the largest consumer group litigation in UK legal history.

Some 1,650 claimants will be due a refund after an agreement was reached to pave the way for ‘swift’ payouts. Legal action is still ongoing in 3,000 cases where liability remains in dispute, while 350 Land of Leather customers will miss out after the chain entered administration.

The EU has now banned the use of DMF after consumers in at least five European countries suffered skin burns and breathing problems due to the chemical used in numerous imported leather products, say solicitors, the court heard.

Richard Langton of law firm Russell Jones & Walker, who led the group action, warned that other consumers could still be at risk from the harmful chemical.

He said: 'We believe many sofas are still in use with DMF in them. Anyone who develops symptoms should seek urgent medical advice. Anyone who has not registered a claim yet should seek help as time is running out to bring a claim.'