Last month, in response to a complaint from BBC’s Watchdog, the ASA banned ads for a so-called “British” clothing firm, external that used images of roses, cobbled streets and the union jack when it was shipping goods from a warehouse in Asia.
The regulator said it was continuing to take action on misleading ads.
But their spokesperson added: “Other regulators and the platforms on which these ads appear all have a part to play in tackling this issue.”
Sue Davies, from Which?, said trading standards teams were “severely under-resourced and not well-equipped” to deal with the websites, meaning many could be going uninvestigated.
“Although the onus should not fall on consumers, there are steps they can take to limit the risk of ending up with poor-quality tat,” she said.
Shoppers should check reviews online to see how other people have found the company’s products and customer service.
It is also worth checking if the company is based in the UK – terms and conditions pages can reveal the location of businesses.