Product safety and liability

Product safety penalties and enforcement

Quick reference for product safety penalties, enforcement powers, and sanctions under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Consumer Protection Act 1987, and Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

UK-wide
Guide summary

Make sure your products are safe to use. If they are unsafe, regulators can stop you selling them, make you warn customers, or recall products. You could face fines up to £20,000 or prison if you break the rules.

  • Follow product safety laws to avoid penalties
  • OPSS and Trading Standards can investigate your business
  • Regulators can stop you selling unsafe products for 6 months
  • You must warn customers about unsafe products
  • You may need to recall unsafe products from customers
  • Maximum fine £20,000 for breaking safety rules
  • Maximum prison sentence 12 months for serious cases
  • You can appeal enforcement notices within 21 days
  • Keep records to show you checked product safety
  • Get legal advice if you receive an enforcement notice
On this page
UK-wide

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This reference summarises the penalties, enforcement powers, and sanctions that apply to product safety breaches in Great Britain. Use it to understand what regulators can do and what consequences your business faces for non-compliance.

GPSR 2005: conviction on indictment
Unlimited fine and/or up to 12 months' imprisonment
GPSR 2005: summary conviction
Unlimited fine and/or up to 3 months' imprisonment
CPA 1987 Part II: conviction on indictment
Unlimited fine and/or up to 2 years' imprisonment
CPA 1987 Part II: summary conviction
Unlimited fine and/or up to 6 months' imprisonment
CPA 1987 s.12: supplying unsafe goods
Criminal offence - same penalties as Part II general offences
Obstruction of enforcement officer
Unlimited fine (summary conviction)
PRMA 2025: civil penalties (pending)
Monetary penalties as alternative to prosecution - amounts to be set by secondary legislation (expected 2026)

Civil penalties under PRMA 2025

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 gives the Secretary of State power to introduce civil monetary penalties for product safety breaches through secondary legislation. These will sit alongside existing criminal sanctions, giving enforcement bodies a faster, more proportionate tool for non-compliance that does not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution.

The amounts, procedures, and appeals process for civil penalties will be set out in regulations. Consultations on the secondary legislation are expected from 2026. Monitor GOV.UK for announcements.

For a full explanation of the legal framework, see Understanding UK product safety law. For defences available when facing prosecution, see Product liability and insurance.

Official sources