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As an international marketplace, Etsy requires that your products meet all applicable requirements in the countries where they are made, sold, and shipped. If you are a seller based in the UK or are selling products to consumers based in the UK, you must make sure that you meet all applicable safety, labeling, and other applicable UK legal requirements. It is also important that you understand UK authorities’ expectations for safety, compliance, and conduct.
The UK Office for Product Safety & Standards (UK OPSS) is the UK’s national product safety regulator for all products other than vehicles, medicines, and food. UK OPSS develops product safety policy and enforces applicable product safety requirements. In addition to UK OPSS, local Trading Standards Offices can help businesses understand and comply with applicable requirements, including some reporting of potential product safety concerns. To learn more about the Trading Standards Officers and how to locate your local authority (known as a primary authority), please visit here.
What requirements apply to products sold in, or exported to, the UK?
All consumer products sold in, or exported to, the UK must be safe. As a seller, it is your responsibility to demonstrate safety. This means complying with all applicable regulations and making sure your consumers have the information they need to use your product safely. If there are applicable designated standards that apply to your products, meeting those standards provides a presumption of conformity with applicable safety requirements. The list of designated standards can be found here. If there is no designated standard, your product must still comply with any other applicable regulation, including the UK’s General Product Safety Regulations. Additional product specific requirements can be found here.
Are there applicable labeling requirements for products sold in the UK?
As a general rule, you should make sure that your product or its packaging includes all required instructions and warnings for safe use. You should also make sure that the product is labeled with the name and address of the manufacturer or importer. For better traceability, including product or batch reference for identifying when and where the product was made is also recommended. The UK has also adopted the UKCA mark, similar to CE marking in place in the EU, which serves as an attestation that a product meets relevant requirements. The UK Government recently announced the indefinite recognition of using the CE mark for a specific list of products. This means that businesses will have the flexibility to either use the UKCA or CE mark to sell products in Great Britain. For more information on UKCA marking, please see here.
If you choose to continue to use the CE mark for your products placed on the Great Britain market, you will need to ensure you have undertaken all the necessary conformity procedures. Learn more about CE marking.
Are there UK-related best practices I should be aware of?
Yes. UK authorities have published helpful guidance for various parties in the supply chain to help them make sure the products they provide are safe and compliant. If you produce the products you sell on Etsy, you can find relevant additional guidance here. Guidance for distributors can be found here. Additional product safety due diligence guidance is available here. The British Standards Institute has published a standard that provides a code of practice for bringing safe products to the market. The standard, PAS 7050 can be obtained here.
What should I do if I learn of a potential safety issue related to a product I sold in the UK?
If you learn of a potential safety issue relating to a product you sold in the UK, you should immediately investigate and assess the issue. If you determine that the product poses a potential safety risk, you may have an obligation to report to UK authorities. Depending on the circumstances, reporting may be made to UK OPSS or to your local Trading Standards office. In some cases, a market withdrawal or recall may be warranted. For more information, make sure to review the OPSS Product Safety and Noncompliance Notification Guidance. The British Standards Institute has published a Code of Practice on Product recall and other corrective action (PAS 7100:2022) which can be accessed here. UK recall announcements can be found here.
Are the requirements in Northern Ireland the same as in the rest of the UK?
No. The requirements for products sold in Northern Ireland may be different than those for the rest of the UK (England, Scotland, and Wales). For example, if required, products sold in Northern Ireland may be required to bear a CE mark or UKNI mark, not a UKCA mark. Additionally, EU harmonized standards, not UK designated standards, apply to goods sold in Northern Ireland. See additional resources here.
Words by Etsy Staff
