UK Act of Parliament 1987 United Kingdom

Consumer Protection Act 1987

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At a glance

Enforced by

CMA, OPSS, Trading Standards

What's here

18 compliance obligations, 14 practical guides across 4 topics · 9 journeys · 2 statutory instruments

Penalty landscape

5 of 18 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 5 carry different penalties and 8 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 9
  • Manufacturer 1
  • Director or Officer 1

Plus 7 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

7 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

2 guides

Mentioned in related content

5 guides
View all 14 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Manufacturers also bound by 472 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 425 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Product Liability

Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part II — Consumer Safety

s.014

Suspension notices.

3 months imprisonment
  • Breach of a goods suspension notice Any Person
s.017

Forfeiture: Scotland.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Sheriff may order forfeiture of unsafe goods in Scotland Tribunal / Court
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part III — Misleading Price Indications

Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part IV — Enforcement of Parts II and III

s.027

Enforcement.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Weights and measures authorities must enforce consumer safety provisions Local authority
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part V — Miscellaneous and Supplemental

s.042

Reports etc.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must report to Parliament on consumer safety enforcement Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Schedules

s.002

Prohibition Notices and Notices to Warn

3 months imprisonment
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must allow traders to challenge unsafe goods notices Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 44 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

After section 11 of the Limitation Act 1980 (actions in...

s.sch001

After section 22, there shall be inserted the following new...

s.sch001

Section 23 shall cease to have effect, but for the...

s.sch001

In paragraph 2 of Schedule 1, after sub-paragraph (gg) there...

s.sch001

In section 12(1) of the said Act of 1980 (actions...

s.sch001

In section 14 of the said Act of 1980 (definition...

s.sch001

In section 28 of the said Act of 1980 (extension...

s.sch001

In section 32 of the said Act of 1980 (postponement...

s.sch001

In section 33 of the said Act of 1980 (discretionary...

s.sch001

The Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 shall be amended...

s.sch001

In section 7(2), after the words “not being an obligation”...

s.sch001

In Part II, before section 17, there shall be inserted...

s.sch002

A prohibition notice in respect of any goods shall—

s.sch002

(1) Where in a notification served on any person under...

s.sch002

In this Schedule— “the appointed person” in relation to a...

s.sch002

(1) If representations in writing about a prohibition notice are...

s.sch002

(1) Where representations in writing about a prohibition notice are...

s.sch002

(1) Where a person is appointed to consider representations about...

s.sch002

(1) The Secretary of State may revoke or vary a...

s.sch002

(1) If the Secretary of State proposes to serve a...

s.sch002

(1) Where a person on whom a notification containing a...

s.sch002

(1) Where a person is appointed to consider representations about...

s.sch002

The Secretary of State may revoke a notice to warn...

s.sch003

(1) Section 6 (general duties of manufacturers etc. as regard...

s.sch003

In section 22 (prohibition notices)— (a) in subsections (1) and...

s.sch003

After section 25 there shall be inserted the following section—...

s.sch003

After section 27 (power to obtain information) there shall be...

s.sch003

In section 28 (restrictions on disclosure of information), in subsection...

s.sch003

In section 33(1)(h) (offence of obstructing an inspector), after the...

s.sch003

In section 53(1) (general interpretation of Part I)—

s.sch004

In sections 31 and 80 of the Explosives Act 1875...

s.sch004

In section 74(3) of the Airports Act 1986 (enactments specified...

s.sch004

In section 42 of the Gas Act 1986—

s.sch004

In section 281(5)(a) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (discharge from...

s.sch004

For paragraphs 3 to 5 of the Schedule to the...

s.sch004

(1) In section 2 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968...

s.sch004

In section 130(1) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 (notice...

s.sch004

In section 174(3)(a) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (exceptions...

s.sch004

In section 1 of the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act...

s.sch004

In section 10(3)(a) of the Estate Agents Act 1979 (exceptions...

s.sch004

In section 19(3) of the Competition Act 1980 (enactments specified...

s.sch004

(1) In . . . 85(5)(b) of the Telecommunications Act...

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

CMA

Primary

Competition and Markets Authority

Promotes competitive markets and tackles unfair behaviour. Investigates mergers, enforces competition law, and has specific digital markets powers. Digital Markets Unit (DMU) …

OPSS

Office for Product Safety and Standards

Product safety regulator responsible for ensuring consumer products are safe. Enforces product safety regulations, UKCA marking requirements, and works with market surveillance …

Trading Standards

Trading Standards (Local Authority)

Enforces consumer protection legislation including food labelling, weights and measures, product safety, and fair trading. Part of local authority structure. Investigates food …

Connected legislation

2 statutory instruments

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.