I think the target was housebuilders where they want 'something' but want to pay the minimum possible. eg the removable faceplates are so the sparky can do first and second fix in one go, and then the decorators can splash their contract emulsion around without having to carefully mask off the sockets - just crudely mask the switch and it doesn't matter if you get paint on the body.
It was an Axiom light switch, think it was these:
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I've also had CED backboxes where the knockouts are impossible to knock out because the plastic is too thick, and a CED socket where I managed to damage the earth pin contacts just by applying a bit extra force when doing up the screw on the back.
They're Toolstation's basic range and I was using them in the loft where it shouldn't matter, but I should have known better.
Theo