Major retailers including Amazon, Argos and Currys have been found advertising e‑scooters for commuting on public roads and paths – despite it being against UK law.
An investigation from the Press Association (PA) uncovered that the companies – alongside independent sellers – were promoting private e‑scooters for urban riding and daily travel. Under current rules, only e‑scooters rented as part of a government‑backed scheme can be legally ridden on roads, cycle paths or in parks. Privately‑owned models are restricted to private land with the landowner’s permission.
“Major retailers including Amazon, Argos and Currys promoted e-scooters for road use despite private models being illegal on public land.”
After being contacted by PA, the major outlets changed their advertising. Amazon said its guidelines forbid showing e‑scooters on roads or pavements, and entries must state they are prohibited from public use in the UK. Yet PA found one Amazon listing recommending its e‑scooter for “urban commuting”. Argos said it had “updated wording on a search page to replicate what we already include on our product pages”. That came after a sponsored Google search result from Argos still advertised “Commuter E‑scooters & City Ride” – though the company said it had removed the ad a day earlier. Currys said it was reviewing its website “to make sure no product listings suggest e‑scooters can be used on public roads or spaces”. A description of an e‑scooter as a “fun, efficient means of getting around your local area” had already been taken down from its UK site, and its sales pages now carry a note explaining the law.
Smaller retailers, however, continue to flout the guidance. One independent seller still offered electric “commuter” scooters, describing them as “a great way for adults to get around the city, zipping between traffic at speeds of up to 15mph”. Another said its products “for commuting” were a “smart choice for daily travel needs”. Neither page carried any warning that such use is illegal in the UK.
The problem is not new. In 2025, Currys had an e‑scooter advert banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which ruled that the ad “omitted significant information about legal limitations”. The ASA now advises advertisers to include a prominent statement explaining the law, but warns that this alone is insufficient if the overall impression suggests unrestricted use.
Anyone caught riding a private e‑scooter on public land faces fines or penalty points on their driving licence. Legal rental e‑scooters require a provisional or full driving licence. For now, the law remains unchanged – and retailers’ online shelves still tell a different story.