A recent surge in safety incidents involving overheating power banks has prompted China’s Civil Aviation Administration to impose a ban on non-certified power banks from domestic flights.

Starting June 28, passengers are no longer allowed to fly with power banks that do not carry China Compulsory Certification (CCC), or the 3C label, a Chinese law-mandated certification system designed to uphold consumer and national security, as well as guarantee product quality.

The policy comes after major Chinese brands Romoss and Anker earlier this year reported product safety issues including faulty battery cell materials and unauthorized changes in supplier-provided cells, respectively, posing potential fire risks due to overheating. Both companies issued recalls totaling over 1.2 million power banks in June, with defective cells constituting 90% of product components.

In light of the ban, users took to social media to share concerns about their power banks being restricted from flights, alongside images showing baskets of confiscated devices at airports.

There have been 15 incidents involving passengers’ power banks catching fire or emitting smoke mid-flight so far this year, marking an approximate 100% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The ban is expected to affect not only personal power banks but also shared power bank providers.

On Sunday, domestic financial news outlet Blue Whale Finance released findings of its investigation into the discrepancies in power bank compliance standards in Shanghai retail settings. They discovered that while most shared power banks in the city’s large shopping malls featured 3C accreditation, non-certified products were more prevalent in older districts and night markets.

Industry leader Jiedian, based in the southern tech hub Shenzhen, exemplifies the issues faced by companies navigating the industry’s shift toward compliance. Despite holding a significant share of China’s shared power bank market and newer models meeting certification standards, some of the company’s previously deployed units remain non-compliant, as Blue Whale Finance detailed Sunday.

Industry insiders report that challenges in the shared power bank sector stem largely from high device volume and widespread distribution, resulting in a mix of certified and uncertified products on the market and posing safety risks to consumers.

According to an industry report published in 2024, China’s shared power bank market was worth 12.6 billion yuan ($1.74 billion), with an expected annual growth rate of approximately 20% in the coming years. Furthermore, the number of shared power bank docking stations exceeded 4 million in 2023, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 31.8%.

In response to longstanding safety concerns, the State Administration for Market Regulation required that, starting August 1, 2023, lithium-ion batteries, battery packs, and mobile power supplies would be subject to 3C certification. On August 1, 2024, it was made illegal to produce, sell, or import products without 3C certification for commercial uses.

The certification process typically takes three to six months and costs manufacturers approximately 30,000 yuan, with valid certifications lasting five years.

However, concerns have emerged about potential loopholes in the certification system, with some manufacturers reportedly utilizing “affiliation programs” and paying as little as 2,900 yuan to borrow certification credentials from compliant factories.

Under China’s Certification and Accreditation Regulations, selling power banks without 3C certification may result in fines of 50,000 to 200,000 yuan and confiscation of illegal products.

A shared power bank distributor told Lanjinger that they believe enforcement will gradually see unbranded products phased out of public places, while first-line brands with their own factories will be considered more dependable.

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: Visuals from Weibo and VCG）