Finnish electronics retailer Gigantti has removed illegal electric dog collars from its online marketplace after discovering a partner company was selling the prohibited devices. The collars disappeared from the website just two hours after company officials became aware of their availability.
Marketing Director Sami Särkelä confirmed the immediate removal in a statement. He described the incident as an extremely serious deviation from company standards. The company launched an internal investigation and contacted the partner firm responsible for listing the banned products.
The electric collars were being sold through INF, a Swedish company operating on Gigantti's marketplace platform. Gigantti hosts products from over 50 partner companies on its website, offering approximately 140,000 additional items beyond its core inventory.
Finland banned electric shock devices for animals at the beginning of last year. The legislation prohibits all equipment that delivers electric shocks to animals, with exceptions only for veterinary medical devices or physical therapy equipment. The banned collars were explicitly marketed for dog training purposes, directly violating this legislation.
Product descriptions for the removed items called them smart electric collars with three training modes: electric shock, vibration, and sound signals. The devices allegedly allowed users to adjust shock intensity levels from one to eight.
This incident reveals significant challenges in monitoring third-party sellers on major e-commerce platforms. Gigantti's marketplace model, while expanding customer choice, creates complex oversight responsibilities. The company now faces questions about how effectively it screens partner companies and their products.
Gigantti discovered a second prohibited dog training product on Sunday evening—a spike collar sold by Estonian company PrimeOnline. Company officials immediately began the process of removing this item as well. The spike collar featured rubber-coated spikes and was marketed as a training collar.
Särkelä acknowledged the company's monitoring systems clearly failed in this case. He said Gigantti would conduct a thorough review of all pet products sold by partner companies throughout Sunday and Monday. The company plans to strengthen its monitoring processes and reinforce responsibility requirements for partner collaborations.
The situation will also be reviewed within the broader Nordic Gigantti group to prevent similar incidents across the region. This case highlights the ongoing challenge for major retailers in maintaining consistent oversight across complex marketplace ecosystems.
Animal welfare organizations have long criticized electric shock collars as cruel and unnecessary training tools. Many European countries have implemented similar bans in recent years, reflecting growing concerns about animal treatment and welfare standards.
For international consumers, this incident serves as a reminder that Nordic countries maintain strict animal welfare regulations. Finland's proactive stance on animal protection often exceeds standards in other markets, creating potential compliance challenges for international sellers operating in the region.
The rapid response from Gigantti demonstrates the serious consequences companies face when violating Finnish consumer protection and animal welfare laws. Retailers operating in Finland must maintain vigilant oversight of all products sold through their platforms, regardless of whether they originate from the company itself or third-party partners.