Journey

Product compliance for manufacturers

Learn how to ensure your products meet UK safety and marking requirements before placing them on the market

Retail & Consumer Goods Manufacturing & Engineering Starting Updated 3 November 2026

Understanding UK product compliance

If you manufacture products for sale in the UK, you have legal obligations to ensure they are safe and properly marked. Getting this wrong can result in product seizures, recalls, and criminal prosecution.

This learning path guides you through the key compliance areas: general safety requirements, product marking (UKCA and CE), and what to do if something goes wrong.

Understand your basic safety obligations

Before considering specific product marking, every manufacturer must understand the fundamental requirement: only safe products may be placed on the market. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 set out what this means in practice.

Start here: General product safety compliance

Learn the legal definition of a safe product and your obligations as a producer or distributor

Producer obligations under GPSR

Understand what the law expects from you as a product manufacturer, including traceability, testing, and notification duties.

Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 a producer is the manufacturer of a product when established in the United Kingdom, a person established in the United Kingdom who places a product from outside the United Kingdom on the market, or another professional in the supply chain whose activities may affect the safety properties of the product (regulation 2).

Primary obligation

Place only safe products on the market

Information provision

Give consumers information to assess risks that are not immediately obvious

Traceability marking

Producer's name and address on product or packaging, unless unreasonable

Batch identification

Product reference or batch on product or packaging, where applicable

Sample testing

Where and to the extent reasonable

Complaints

Investigate complaints; keep a register if necessary

Distributors

Keep informed of monitoring where a risk is or may be presented

Corrective action
A producer who knows that a product it has placed on the market poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement must notify an enforcement authority promptly in writing, say what action it has taken to prevent risk to the consumer, and cooperate with the authority on action to avoid risks (regulation 9). For a serious risk the notice must also identify the product or batch precisely, fully describe the risks and give all available tracing information (regulation 9(3)).

Notification trigger

Producer knows the product poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement

Notification method

In writing to an enforcement authority, promptly (reg 9(1))

Notification content

Action taken to prevent risk; for serious risk, product or batch identification, full description of the risks and tracing information (reg 9(3))

Ongoing duty

Adopt measures suited to the product to learn of risks and act on them, including withdrawal, warnings or, as a last resort, recall (reg 7(3))

Product Safety and Noncompliance Notification Guidance (opens in a new tab)

Take note

Criminal offence: Placing an unsafe product on the market can lead to up to 12 months in prison, a fine of up to £20,000, or both, on conviction on indictment.
Product marking requirements

Many product categories require conformity marking to show they meet essential safety requirements. UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) is the UK's marking system, though CE marking is also accepted, with no end date, for products under 21 product regulations.

UKCA marking requirements

Understand when UKCA marking is required and how to achieve conformity through self-declaration or approved body assessment

UKCA marking overview

Key facts about UKCA marking including dimensions, placement rules, and the 21 product regulations covered.

The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is the UK product marking for goods placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Where product regulations meet UK needs, the UK also recognises the CE marking, alongside or in place of the UKCA marking, under the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which came into force on 1 October 2024. Those regulations set no end date for that recognition.

Full name

UK Conformity Assessed

Geographic scope

Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales)

Regulator

Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)

CE marking recognition

In force from 1 October 2024; no end date set

Key legislation

Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024

UKCA marking dimensions and appearance

Minimum height

5mm, unless the relevant legislation sets a different minimum

Proportions

Scale proportionately if resized

Visibility

Easily visible, legible and indelible

Placement

On the product itself

Alternative placement to 31 December 2027

On a label affixed to the product or an accompanying document, until 11pm on 31 December 2027

Products with specific marking rules
The label and accompanying-document arrangement above applies to most sectors, but these product groups have their own specific rules. Check the product regulations for your sector.

Cableways

Specific rules

Construction products

Specific rules

Marine equipment

Specific rules (Red Ensign or Wheelmark)

Medical devices

Specific rules

Rail products

Specific rules

Transportable pressure equipment

Specific rules (Pi marking)

Uncrewed aircraft systems

Civil Aviation Authority rules

UK Declaration of Conformity
The manufacturer, or an authorised representative, draws up a UK Declaration of Conformity as part of the technical documentation. It is kept for the period your product regulations set, typically 10 years from each product being placed on the market.

Conformity assessment routes

Self-declaration

Where the regulations allow it, the manufacturer declares conformity

UK Approved Body

Required by some regulations; accredited by UKAS and listed on the UKMCAB database. Some regulations also require its identification number on the product.

Fast-track UKCA

UKCA marking where recognised EU requirements and conformity assessment have been met

Northern Ireland
The UKCA and CE routes described here do not apply to products placed on the Great Britain market that originate from Northern Ireland. Qualifying Northern Ireland products can be placed on the GB market with the CE, or CE and UKNI, marking.

Placing UKCA or CE marked products on the market in Great Britain (opens in a new tab)

Product safety and metrology regulatory changes: UKCA and CE regimes (opens in a new tab)

Product regulations and marking approaches for the GB market (opens in a new tab)

UK designated standards (opens in a new tab)

Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) (opens in a new tab)

Conformity assessment routes

How to demonstrate your product meets requirements - whether through self-declaration or third-party assessment.

Before applying the UKCA marking, products must undergo appropriate conformity assessment to demonstrate they meet essential requirements.

Self-declaration route

Where the legislation permits, the manufacturer declares conformity and takes responsibility

UK Approved Body route

Required by some regulations for some or all products; the body is listed on the UKMCAB database

Fast-track UKCA route

UKCA marking where recognised EU requirements and conformity assessment processes have been met

Designated standards

Give a rebuttable presumption of conformity with the essential requirements; use is voluntary under most regulations

Technical documentation

Keep for the period the legislation sets, typically 10 years after each product is placed on the market

UK Declaration of Conformity

Formal statement that the product complies with the applicable legislation

UK Approved Bodies

For products requiring third-party assessment, UK Approved Bodies are authorised to carry out conformity assessments.

UKMCAB database

UK Market Conformity Assessment Bodies database lists all approved bodies and their scope of designation

Accreditation

UKAS accredits UK Approved Bodies; they can only certify products for UKCA marking

Approved Body number

Some regulations require the body's identification number on the product; check the sector regulations

UK conformity assessment (opens in a new tab)

Designated standards (opens in a new tab)

UKMCAB database (opens in a new tab)
CE marking recognition in Great Britain

Since 1 October 2024, CE marking has been recognised in Great Britain with no end date for products covered by 21 product regulations. This means you can choose to use either UKCA or CE marking - valuable flexibility if you also sell into the EU market.

CE marking continued use in GB

Learn which products can use CE marking in Great Britain and understand the practical implications for your compliance strategy

CE marking recognition

Details of the indefinite CE marking recognition and which product categories are covered.

Great Britain recognises CE marking alongside or in place of UKCA marking for products covered by 21 product regulations. The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 came into force on 1 October 2024 and removed the provisions that made the recognition expire, so it has no end date.
Aerosol dispensers and measuring container bottles are the exception: they carry UKCA or the reversed epsilon marking.

Legislation

Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/696)

In force from

1 October 2024

Duration

No end date (expiry provisions removed)

Geographic scope

Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland)

Product regulations covered

21

Reversed epsilon

Aerosol dispensers and measuring container bottles

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland guidance

Northern Ireland: CE marking is required for products placed on the Northern Ireland market. UKCA marking alone is not valid in Northern Ireland. Follow EU product safety rules under the Windsor Framework.
Placing goods on the NI market (opens in a new tab)
If something goes wrong: product recalls
Even with good compliance systems, safety issues can emerge after products reach consumers. Knowing your notification and recall obligations before a problem occurs helps you respond quickly and minimise harm.

Product recall process

Understand your legal duty to notify authorities and retrieve unsafe products from the market
Recall obligations

When you must notify authorities and the steps for conducting an effective recall.
Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR), a producer or distributor who knows that a product it has placed on the market or supplied poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement must notify an enforcement authority in writing immediately. This applies to consumer products in Great Britain.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the national product safety regulator. Enforcement authorities record notifications on the Product Safety Database, and OPSS publishes product recalls and safety reports on the Product Recalls and Alerts website.

Primary legislation

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1803)

Notification duty (regulation 9)

A producer or distributor who knows a product poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement must notify an enforcement authority in writing immediately

Who must notify

Producers and distributors who know of the risk

Notification recipient

An enforcement authority, usually your local Trading Standards service

Product Safety Database

Used by enforcement authorities to notify the Secretary of State; businesses do not record notifications on it

Regulator

Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

Information required in a notification
The notification must set out the action taken to prevent risk to consumers. In the event of a serious risk it must also include information enabling the product or batch to be precisely identified, a full description of the risks, all available information for tracing the product, and a description of the action taken (regulation 9(3)).

Product identification

Precise identification of the product or batch

Risk description

Full description of the risks the product presents

Traceability information

All available information for tracing the product

Action taken

Description of action taken to prevent risk to consumers

Timing

Immediately (forthwith) once you know of the risk

Types of corrective action
The action you take depends on the risk. The main levels are:
Stop sale: halt further distribution of the product
Withdrawal: remove the product from the supply chain, including wholesalers and retailers
Recall: retrieve the product from consumers who have already bought it
A producer must take measures that let it be informed of the risks its products might pose and take appropriate action, including withdrawal, warning consumers or, as a last resort, recall (regulation 7(3)). A manufacturer that finds a product it sold is a safety risk must contact all the consumers it knows are affected, and remedies can include new instructions, modifying the product or a refund.

Recall notices
An enforcement authority that has reasonable grounds for believing a product is dangerous and has already been supplied to consumers can serve a recall notice. It requires the recipient to use reasonable endeavours to organise the return of the product from consumers (regulation 15). The notice can require the recipient to contact consumers who have bought the product, publish a notice to bring the risk to their attention, and make arrangements for collection, return or disposal.

Notification channels

Company website, social media, press releases, point-of-sale notices and direct contact where customer records exist

Recall notice content

Product description, hazard, risk to consumers, what to do and who to contact

Best practice

PAS 7100:2022, the BSI code of practice for product recall and other corrective actions

GOV.UK publication

OPSS publishes product recalls and safety reports on Product Recalls and Alerts

Suspension notices

An enforcement authority can stop a product being supplied while it carries out safety checks (regulation 11)

Record keeping
Producers must take measures enabling them to trace their products. Where and to the extent that it is reasonable, they must sample-test marketed products and investigate, and if necessary keep a register of, complaints about product safety (regulation 7(4)). Distributors must keep the documentation needed to trace the origin of a product (regulation 8(1)(b)).

Producer records

Product reference or batch on the product or packaging, and sample testing and complaints where reasonable

Distributor records

Documentation to trace the origin of products supplied

Recall records

Actions taken, consumer responses and products recovered

Civil liability
Manufacturers, and sometimes others in the supply chain, are liable under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 if an unsafe product causes personal injury, death or damage to private property. Liability under the Act is strict: you do not have to prove negligence.

Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls (opens in a new tab)
Product safety law in Northern Ireland

Which general product safety rules apply and where to get advice.

In Northern Ireland, Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety has applied since 13 December 2024 under the Windsor Framework. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 are the framework for Great Britain, and sector-specific rules are applied differently in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

General product safety law

Regulation (EU) 2023/988, applying in Northern Ireland from 13 December 2024

Advice for businesses

Local authority Environmental Health in Northern Ireland

Safety Gate

The EU rapid alert system; authorities notify serious-risk corrective measures through it under Article 26 of the Regulation

Product liability

The EU Product Liability Directive (EU) 2024/2853 will apply to relevant products placed on the market or put into service in Northern Ireland after 9 December 2026; the Consumer Protection (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 continues to apply until the regime is updated

Product safety advice for businesses (opens in a new tab)

Guv’s take

Be prepared: Keep records that enable traceability. If a recall is needed, you must be able to identify affected batches and contact customers who purchased them.
Summary and next steps

Product compliance is ongoing - not a one-off exercise. Build compliance into your product development process from the start.

Key takeaways:
- All consumer products must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations
- Many products require UKCA or CE marking to show conformity with specific regulations
- Keep technical documentation and declarations of conformity for the period your product regulations set, typically 10 years
- Have a recall plan ready before you need it

Official guidance

Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) (opens in a new tab)

The national regulator for product safety - guidance and enforcement

OPSS

Product safety advice for businesses (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UK guidance on producer and distributor obligations

OPSS

UK designated standards database (opens in a new tab)

Standards that provide presumption of conformity with UK regulations

GOV.UK · Great Britain

PAS 7100 - Product Recall Code of Practice (opens in a new tab)

www.bsigroup.com

Product safety and noncompliance notification guidance (opens in a new tab)

Publication · GOV.UK

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 - detailed guidance (opens in a new tab)

Publication · OPSS · Great Britain

Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety (opens in a new tab)

eur-lex.europa.eu

Product compliance for manufacturers

Understanding UK product compliance

Understand your basic safety obligations

Start here: General product safety compliance

Product marking requirements

UKCA marking requirements

CE marking recognition in Great Britain

CE marking continued use in GB

If something goes wrong: product recalls

Product recall process

Summary and next steps

Official guidance

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