First highlighted in the King’s Speech in July, the government has passed primary legislation, the Product Safety and Metrology Bill. Introduced in the House of Lords on September 4, 2024, the Bill covers almost all manufactured products and aims to address safety issues, drive economic growth, and ensure a level playing field between the high street and online marketplaces.
This legislation will affect all businesses involved in manufacturing, importing and selling of products. It will enable the Secretary of State (SoS) to later make provisions covering the marketing or use of products in the UK, including construction products. It allows the SoS to make or amend product regulations, respond to new hazards and threats, make specific provisions for online marketplaces, update enforcement requirements, and update the legal metrology framework.
In addition, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) will have greater regulatory powers to hold manufacturers and online marketplaces accountable for the safety of the products they sell and to take necessary enforcement action to protect consumers.
While much of the UK’s product safety framework is derived from EU law, this Bill will enable the UK to mirror or diverge from updated EU rules. The Bill also updates the UK’s legal metrology framework by ensuring accuracy in weights and measures of purchased goods.
While not specifically stated, it is implied that the Bill will enable the government to make changes to align with new and proposed EU reform. Further, as most product safety legislation falls within the scope of the Windsor Framework, EU changes to product regulation only apply in Northern Ireland, resulting in divergence within the UK market. Under this Bill, the government will have specific powers to manage divergence by taking a UK-wide approach.
Read the full Product Safety and Metrology Bill. The Explanatory Notes are also available and might best be read alongside the Bill.