Division 47
Retail Trade
Requirements for all retail trade
These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.
Metric units for ordinary goods sold by mass or volume (Great Britain)
Enforced by TRADING_STANDARDS
Weights and Measures Act 1985
When selling ordinary packaged or loose goods by mass or volume in Great Britain, use permitted metric measurements such as grams, kilograms, millilitres or litres. Supplementary imperial quantities are optional: the metric indication must be more prominent and imperial characters must be no larger. Confirm the actual business seller using measurement for trade and ordinary goods scope. This route excludes draught beer or cider sold by pint, milk in returnable containers sold by pint, precious metals sold by troy ounce and prescribing or dispensing prescriptions for drugs; their statutory exceptions need separate assessment. Eye tests, lens prescription characteristics, other service measurements, count-only sales and uncertain product or transaction scope do not establish this mass-or-volume goods route. Northern Ireland is held under its separate legislation. Equipment approval, accuracy, quantity marking, short measure and other product duties require separate assessment. This generic transaction control does not validate the existing optician SIC classification or establish a requirement to sell goods by measurement. This bounded route also supports mixed-goods and internet sellers only when they actually sell qualifying goods by mass or volume; no website, cancellation, producer or equipment duty is accepted from the trade label.
Consumer Rights Act 2015 compliance
Enforced by TRADING_STANDARDS
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. Applies to all retail sales including online.
Weights and Measures Act 1985 compliance
Enforced by TRADING_STANDARDS
Weights and Measures Act 1985
Goods sold by weight or measure must use approved equipment. Trading Standards officers can inspect at any time.
Price Marking Order 2004
Enforced by TRADING_STANDARDS
Price Marking Order 2004
Products offered for sale must display selling price. Unit pricing required for goods sold by weight/volume/measure.
Employers' Liability Insurance
Enforced by HSE
Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969
Required for all employers. Sole traders with no employees exempt.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Enforced by FIRE_AUTHORITY
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Responsible person must carry out fire risk assessment for all retail premises. Separate regimes in Scotland (Fire (Scotland) Act 2005) and NI (Fire and Rescue Services (NI) Order 2006).
Waste Duty of Care
Enforced by ENVIRONMENT_AGENCY
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Commercial waste must be stored, transferred and disposed of correctly. Separate regimes in Scotland (SEPA), Wales (NRW), NI (DAERA).
Business rates
Enforced by LOCAL_AUTHORITY
Local Government Finance Act 1988
Payable on all retail premises. Small business rate relief available for rateable values under £15,000 in England.
Non-domestic rates (Scotland)
Enforced by LOCAL_AUTHORITY
Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020
Payable on all retail premises via the local assessor/council. Small Business Bonus Scheme relief available depending on rateable value, distinct from the England/Wales scheme.
Data protection (UK GDPR)
Enforced by ICO
Data Protection Act 2018
Registration with ICO required if processing personal data. Applies to customer records, CCTV, loyalty schemes, online accounts.