Manufacturing & Engineering Product safety compliance UK-wide

Product safety compliance checklist for the GB market

Compliance checklist for businesses placing consumer products on the Great Britain market. Covers the general safety requirement, UKCA marking and documentation, traceability, supply chain roles, record keeping, and recall preparedness under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Consumer Protection Act 1987, and Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Guide summary

You must make sure every consumer product you sell in Great Britain is safe. Complete a product risk assessment and keep records. Apply UKCA marking where required and draw up a UK Declaration of Conformity. Keep traceability records to track products through the supply chain. You could face a fine of up to £20,000 or imprisonment if you do not comply.

  • Complete a risk assessment for each product line
  • Identify all foreseeable uses and risks to vulnerable users
  • Test products against designated UK standards
  • Provide clear warnings and instructions for any risks
  • Draw up a UK Declaration of Conformity in English
  • Apply UKCA marking where required by regulations
  • Keep batch or lot numbers for traceability
  • Keep records of suppliers and buyers (if wholesale)
  • Keep Declaration of Conformity for 10 years
  • Make records available to OPSS or Trading Standards
On this page

Related guides in Supply Chain Compliance

Use this checklist to verify your product safety compliance when placing consumer products on the GB market. Work through each section and resolve any gaps before continuing to supply.

General safety requirement

  • Product risk assessment completed and documented for each product line
  • All reasonably foreseeable uses identified, including predictable misuse
  • Risks to vulnerable users (children, elderly) specifically assessed
  • Product tested against applicable designated standards where available
  • Residual risks communicated through clear warnings and instructions

Marking and documentation

  • UKCA or CE marking applied where required by product-specific regulations
  • UK Declaration of Conformity drawn up with all 9 required elements
  • DoC in English and signed by authorised person
  • Applicable legislation and standards listed on the DoC
  • UK Approved Body details included on DoC where third-party assessment was used

Traceability

  • Producer name and postal address on product or packaging
  • Batch, lot, or serial number enabling identification of product batch
  • Importer name and postal address on product or packaging (if importing)
  • Supply chain records maintained showing from whom goods were purchased
  • Wholesale distribution records showing to whom goods were sold

Supply chain role

  • Your supply chain role identified (manufacturer, importer, distributor, or online marketplace)
  • Obligations for your specific role understood and documented
  • UK Responsible Person appointed if you are a non-UK manufacturer with no UK importer
  • Supplier verification process in place (audits, certifications, or documented checks)
  • Cooperation procedures established for responding to enforcement authority requests

Record keeping

  • Technical documentation retained for 10 years from last product placed on market
  • UK Declaration of Conformity retained for 10 years
  • Test reports and UK Approved Body certificates retained for 10 years
  • Supply chain traceability records retained for minimum 6 years
  • Complaints register maintained and reviewed for patterns
  • Copies of all OPSS notifications retained indefinitely

Recall preparedness

  • Written product recall procedure in place and tested within the last 12 months
  • Named individual responsible for coordinating recall activity
  • Contact details for OPSS and local Trading Standards recorded and accessible
  • Consumer notification channels identified (website, social media, direct contact)
  • Remedy options defined (refund, repair, replacement) for each product line
  • Staff trained on recognising safety incidents and escalating promptly

If you identified gaps

Address any gaps immediately. Supplying unsafe products is a criminal offence under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Penalties include unlimited fines and up to 12 months' imprisonment. If you are uncertain whether a product meets the general safety requirement, stop supplying it until you have completed a full risk assessment. See Assess whether your product meets the general safety requirement for the step-by-step process.

Official guidance and legislation