Consultations launched on future UK product safety Regulation, surveillance and enforcement: The Department for Business and Trade has launched two detailed consultations, one on the future consumer product safety regime in the UK and the second on future market surveillance and enforcement. The need for a new core framework was identified by the Product Safety Review and endorsed by Parliament in passing the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025. This consultation sets out proposals for the new framework, grouped into the following themes.
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Getting the basics right: proposals for the new framework to cover a wider scope of products, updating how a safe product will be defined, and how the safety of a product can be assessed.
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Accountability throughout the supply chain: proposals for the definitions of businesses in scope of the new framework – producers, onward suppliers and online marketplaces – and their core obligations to proactively protect consumers from dangerous products.
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A new approach to product information: proposals to allow product information to be provided more flexibly – both physically and digitally – and to move towards a ‘digital by default’ approach to product information.
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Supporting enforcement activity: proposals for a consolidated set of duties to cooperate effectively with enforcement action.
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Building on the new foundations: proposals for additional tools to manage products posing greater risk of harm and paving the way for further reform of sector and product-specific regulations.
The parallel consultation on enforcement and market surveillance reform includes proposals to simplify and consolidate enforcement powers, introduce civil monetary penalties, and address the enforcement challenges posed by online and international supply chains. Proposed aims include to:
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Simplify and consolidate enforcement powers to create a comprehensive, coherent, and effective regulatory environment.
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Widen the available options for civil sanctions by introducing monetary penalties, reducing reliance on criminal prosecution.
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Address enforcement challenges posed by online and international supply chains.
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Explore whether cost recovery should form part of the enforcement toolkit and if so, for what types of activities.
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Allow enhanced information sharing between relevant authorities, establishing clear statutory powers to facilitate the secure and effective exchange of data for the purposes of product regulation, safety, and compliance.
Responses are required by 23 June. Product regulation: the UK’s new product safety framework > Product regulation: market surveillance and enforcement framework >
Find out more in our May Regulatory Radar webinar, which you can sign up to here >
Consultation launched on revision of domestic furniture fire safety rules: The Department for Business and Trade has launched a detailed consultation on plans to update the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, amending their scope and seeking to provide more flexibility and reduce the need for the use of fire retardant chemicals. Responses are required by 23 June. View >
Government commits to legislate to protect consumers from subscription traps: The Department for Business and Trade has published the outcome of a consultation on subscription contracts which ended in February 2025. The response deals with the content of secondary legislation under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) which provides new rights for consumers so that they have clear information before they sign up to a subscription and receive regular reminders, particularly before trials or 12 month+ contracts auto-renew. Traders will also have to:
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ensure it is straightforward for people to exit contracts
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allow them to exit online if they signed up online
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provide a 14-day cooling-off period after a trial or 12 month+ contract auto-renews (during which the consumer can cancel without penalty)
The response deals at length with the approach to refunds during cancellation periods where goods and services have been provided.
Consultation outcome > Press release >
OFCOM Puts online platforms under pressure to provide risk assessments: OFCOM has required 30 online platforms to provide it with risk assessments covering how harm could take place on their platforms, and how their features and functionalities could increase those risks of harm (year 2 illegal harms and children’s risk assessments) and their steps to protect vulnerable consumers by 31 July. View >
