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 Running a Business Updated 15 September 2026

4 milestones references 4 guides

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

Take note

Criminal offence: Placing an unsafe product on the market can result in fines up to 20,000 pounds and imprisonment up to 12 months.
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 now also accepted indefinitely for most products.

UKCA marking requirements

Understand when UKCA marking is required and how to achieve conformity through self-declaration or approved body assessment
CE marking recognition in Great Britain
Since October 2024, CE marking has been recognised indefinitely in Great Britain for most product categories. 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.
The UK Government has indefinitely extended recognition of CE marking for placing goods on the Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland) market. This came into force on 1 October 2024.

Businesses can choose to use either:

CE marking (Conformité Européene) - showing compliance with EU requirements

UKCA marking (UK Conformity Assessed) - showing compliance with GB requirements

This flexibility applies to 21 product regulations covering most consumer and industrial products. Both markings demonstrate the product meets safety requirements.

Legislation

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

In force from

1 October 2024

Duration

Indefinite (no end date)

Geographic scope

Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland) only

Northern Ireland

CE marking required (follows EU rules)

Number of regulations covered

21 product regulations

Enforcer

Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
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), producers and distributors have a legal duty to notify authorities immediately when they discover a product they have placed on the market poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement. This applies to all consumer products in Great Britain.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the national regulator responsible for product safety. OPSS maintains the Product Safety Database and publishes recalls on the GOV.UK Product Recalls and Alerts page.

Primary legislation

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1803)

Notification requirement (Regulation 9)

Producers and distributors must notify an enforcement authority immediately (forthwith) when they know a product poses risks incompatible with the general safety requirement

Who must notify

Producers (manufacturers, own-branders, UK importers) and distributors who know the product poses a risk

Notification recipient

Local Trading Standards authority (enforcement authority), who must immediately pass notification to OPSS

Product Safety Database

The UK Product Safety Database (PSD) is used for reporting unsafe products to OPSS

Regulator

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

Information required in notification
Under Regulation 9 of the GPSR, notifications must include information enabling the product to be identified precisely, a full description of the risks the product presents, and all available information to trace the product. The notification must also include details of any action already taken to prevent risks to consumers.

Product identification

Information enabling precise identification of the product (model, batch, serial numbers)

Risk description

Full description of the risks the product presents to consumers

Traceability information

All available information relevant to tracing the product through the supply chain

Action taken

Details of any action already taken to prevent risks to consumers

Notification timing

Immediately (forthwith) upon becoming aware of the risk

Types of corrective action
Businesses may take different levels of corrective action depending on risk severity:
Stop sale - Halt further distribution of the product
Withdrawal - Remove product from the supply chain (wholesalers, retailers)
Recall - Retrieve product from consumers who have already purchased it
A recall is the most extensive corrective action and is typically required for serious or high-risk products that could cause injury.

Stop sale

Halt further distribution - prevents new sales but does not retrieve existing stock

Withdrawal

Remove product from trade supply chain - stock recalled from retailers and wholesalers

Recall

Retrieve product from end consumers - requires public notification and return mechanism

When recall required

Products presenting serious risk to consumers, especially if already sold to the public

Consumer remedies

Repair, replacement, or adequate refund must be offered for recalled products

Consumer notification requirements
When conducting a product recall, businesses must take all reasonable steps to notify consumers who may have purchased the product. PAS 7100:2022 (British Standards Institution Code of Practice) provides guidance on effective recall communications.

Notification channels

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

GOV.UK publication

Serious or high-risk product recalls are published on GOV.UK Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls

Recall notice content

Product description, hazard identified, risk to consumers, clear instructions on what to do, contact details for remedy

Best practice guidance

PAS 7100:2022 - Product recall and other corrective actions (Code of practice) from BSI

Retailers' duty

Retailers must not supply products subject to recall and should display recall notices where appropriate

Record keeping requirements
Producers must maintain records to enable product traceability. This is essential for identifying affected products and contacting consumers in the event of a recall.

Complaints register

Regulations require producers to consider keeping a register of complaints concerning product safety

Traceability records

Records of suppliers and customers to enable product tracing through the supply chain

Technical documentation retention

Producers and authorised representatives must generally keep documentation for 10 years after placing the product on the market

Sample testing records

Records of sample testing and investigations into complaints

Recall records

Documentation of recall actions taken, consumer responses, and products recovered

Penalties for non-compliance
Failure to comply with the General Product Safety Regulations is a criminal offence. Enforcement authorities (Trading Standards and OPSS) can issue notices and prosecute businesses that fail to take appropriate action.

Maximum penalty (indictment)

Up to 12 months imprisonment and/or fine up to £20,000 for placing unsafe products on the market or failing to notify

Maximum penalty (summary conviction)

Up to 3 months imprisonment and/or fine up to statutory maximum

Enforcement notices

Trading Standards can issue suspension notices, withdrawal notices, and recall notices requiring action

Recall notice (Regulation 15)

Enforcement authority can require a person to use reasonable endeavours to organise return of products from consumers

Civil liability

Under Consumer Protection Act 1987, producers face strict liability for damage caused by defective products - no need to prove negligence

Safety Gate notification (for EU market)
If a product that poses a serious risk has been or could be placed on the EU market, businesses should also be aware of the EU Safety Gate system (formerly RAPEX). For products sold in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, EU product safety rules apply and notifications to Safety Gate may be required.

Safety Gate (formerly RAPEX)

EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food consumer products

Northern Ireland

EU General Product Safety Regulation 2023/988 applies under the Windsor Framework

OPSS role

OPSS acts as UK Product Safety Contact Point and coordinates with EU Safety Gate where appropriate

OECD GlobalRecalls portal

International database that aggregates recall data from UK, EU, US, Canada, and other jurisdictions

Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls (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 10 years
- Have a recall plan ready before you need it

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

Related journeys

Product compliance checklist for GB market

Start selling products on the UK market

Respond to a product safety incident

Understanding EU retained law for your business