Category: United Kingdom

Cosmetic Product Regulations in the United Kingdom: An Overview

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Cosmetic Product Regulations in the United Kingdom

Cosmetic products sold in the United Kingdom must comply with various substance restrictions, labelling, documentation, and testing requirements. In this guide, we take a closer look at Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, UK REACH, and other compliance requirements relevant to skincare, haircare, makeup and other cosmetic products.

Additionally, we explain the differences between the UK and EU versions of the regulations affecting cosmetic products.

Note that even if some requirements may still be the same in the EU and UK, this may change as regulations continue to be amended and the two diverge further. However, note that the article excludes requirements for cosmetic products sold in Northern Ireland, which remains aligned with EU requirements.

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CE Marking Requirements in the United Kingdom: An Overview

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CE Marking Requirements in the United Kingdom

There has been a lot of confusion about the future status of CE marking in the United Kingdom since Brexit. In its place, products were supposed to be marked with the UKCA symbol.

However, the UK has since changed course and decided to accept CE marking for certain product types. This can simplify the product compliance process, as the implication is that a CE marked product could be sold in both the UK and the EU.

In this guide, we explain which products can be CE marked in the UK, and how CE marking differs from UKCA marking.

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List of Product Liability Insurance Companies in the United Kingdom

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Product liability insurance provides coverage in case you face claims due to personal injury or property damage. No product is ‘risk-free’ when it comes to potential safety hazards – which can be caused by unforeseen manufacturing or design errors.

In short, product liability insurance can serve as your last line of defense, if something goes wrong despite your best efforts.

In this guide, we list some of the United Kingdom’s leading product liability insurance providers, covering both insurance companies and brokers.
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Extended Producer Responsibility in the United Kingdom: An Overview

Posted on by Yvette Shen — 1 Comment

Extended Producer Responsibility in the United Kingdom
The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) extends a producer’s financial and operational responsibility regarding packaging and packed goods past the post-consumer stage. In practical terms, this means that UK importers and manufacturers may need to pay for the collection and disposal of packaging waste generated from sales.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements also cover registration, collection, and reporting – and labelling of the packaging.

In this guide, we explain EPR requirements in detail and provide information on a few EPR compliance scheme companies, which can help you to comply with the requirements.
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Möbius Loop Guide for the US, EU and UK

Posted on by Yvette Shen — Leave a comment

Möbius Loop Symbol

The Möbius loop is a widely recognized symbol that generally indicate packaging recyclability. The requirements for using the Möbius loop symbol differ depending on whether you sell in the EU, US, or UK.

For example, some regulations – such as 16 CFR Part 260 in the US – set requirements and guidance on how to use the Möbius loop symbol. For instance, importers and manufacturers might need to provide proof of their packaging’s recyclability or qualify their recyclability claims.

In short, you should not use the Möbius loop symbol unless you have something to support it. Even then, the requirements are not always crystal clear.

In this guide, we explain the meaning of the Möbius loop symbol, and how guidance regarding its usage varies across the EU, the US, and the UK.

Note that we always refer to “packaging” because, in the official documents we could find, the provided examples usually concern packaging products (e.g. cardboard boxes or food containers).

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Textiles Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

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Textile Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

The Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations set labelling requirements for textile products in the United Kingdom. The Regulations refer to the European Union Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, which requires the provision of fibre composition information for textile products.

In this guide, we explain covered and exempted products, fibre composition requirements (e.g. 100% Polyester), and information concerning care and size labelling.

The second part of this article consists of frequently answered questions related to UK textiles labelling requirements.

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UKCA Marking Guide for Importers and Manufacturers

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UKCA Marking

The UKCA mark is essentially a replacement for the CE mark in the United Kingdom, in the years after Brexit. While not all products require a UKCA mark, the mark is mandatory for those products that are covered by one or more regulations with UKCA marking as a requirement.

In this guide, we explain which regulations require a UKCA mark, how it compares to the CE mark, and the requirements concerning the placement of the UKCA mark on the products and the packaging.

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Heavy Metals Regulations in the United Kingdom: An Overview

Posted on by John Vinod Khiatani — 1 Comment

Heavy Metals Regulations in the United Kingdom

This article covers heavy metal regulations in consumer products sold in the United Kingdom. If you intend to import or manufacture products like the following, then this article is relevant to you:

  • Electronic products
  • Batteries
  • Food contact materials (FCMs)
  • Cosmetics
  • Packaging
  • Toys

This article does not apply to Northern Ireland as they still follow EU regulations.
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Phthalate Regulations in the United Kingdom: An Overview

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Phthalate Regulations in the United Kingdom

Increasingly, phthalates are seen as dangerous when exposed to too much of them. Various jurisdictions, including the UK, are requiring importers and manufacturers to test their products for the presence of phthalates before allowing such products to be placed on the market.

In this article, we explain what phthalates are and why they are one of the more important substances to look out for when importing and manufacturing products in the UK. However, this article does not cover regulations in Northern Ireland.

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Food Contact Material Regulations in the United Kingdom

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Food Contact Material Regulations in the United Kingdom

Are you importing or manufacturing food contact materials (FCM) products for the UK market? Applicable regulations might vary according to the type of product and material. Also, depending on the product, you would have to observe FCM regulations which may continue to come from EU regulatory sources.

This article covers documentation, labelling and other requirements that are applicable to various FCMs. This article does not cover FCM regulations for Northern Ireland.
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