UK - Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025
Vol. 1488 | 20 Aug 2025
The UK’s Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 empowers future regulations on product safety and online marketplaces, aligning with EU GPSR, with businesses advised to prepare for new compliance requirements.
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 20251 has now received Royal Assent and become UK law. While it does not introduce new product safety requirements itself, it acts as a framework that gives the UK government broad powers to make future regulations.
What is the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025?
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 is a new UK framework law that provides the government with enabling powers to make secondary legislation relating to:
- Product safety, including online sales.
- Performance requirements, ensuring products operate efficiently and effectively.
- Legal metrology, ensuring weighing and measuring instruments remain accurate.
The Act itself does not impose direct requirements on businesses but creates the legal basis for future regulations.
What is in and out of scope?
In scope under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025:
- Any tangible item resulting from a method of production (manufacturing, packaging, labelling, etc.) that is marketed or used in the UK, except those in the excluded list.
- Products that could present risks to people, domestic animals, property, or be susceptible to electromagnetic disturbance.
- Products where regulation is needed to ensure:
- Safety and risk reduction.
- Efficient/effective operation.
- Accurate weighing/measuring performance.
- Reduced environmental impact (aligned with relevant EU law).
- Online marketplaces facilitating product sales in the UK.
- Metrology: units of measurement, quantities in which goods are marketed, packaging/marking related to measurement.
Out of scope (Excluded Products – Schedule):
- Food (Food Safety Act 1990 definition).
- Feeding stuff and fertiliser (Agriculture Act 1970 definition).
- Plants, fruit, fungi.
- Plant protection products (Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009).
- Animal by-products (Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009).
- Products of animal origin for food (Regulation (EC) No 853/2004).
- Aircraft and components, except toy unmanned aircraft and their radio equipment.
- Products for operating/controlling aircraft, except unmanned aircraft radio equipment.
- Military equipment (Procurement Act 2023).
- Medicines and medical devices (Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021), except weighing/measuring devices for medical use.
Why has the Act been introduced?
The Act replaces and updates powers previously spread across retained EU law and various UK statutes. It was developed in response to concerns that existing product safety laws were not adequate for:
- Online marketplaces, where dangerous and non-compliant products are widely available.
- Emerging technologies, including smart and connected products.
- The need for greater enforcement and oversight in the digital economy.
What changes are expected under this Act?
While the Act itself does not yet introduce new duties, the government has made clear that it will use these powers to regulate online marketplaces. These platforms are likely to face statutory obligations to:
- Prevent unsafe or non-compliant products from being listed.
- Ensure sellers comply with UK product safety laws.
- Share key product safety information with consumers.
- Cooperate with enforcement authorities and market surveillance bodies.
This is expected to mirror obligations under the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), both of which apply to online platforms operating in the EU.
Is this aligned with the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)?
Largely, yes. The UK has indicated its intent to align key aspects of its online marketplace regulation with the EU GPSR (in force since December 2024). Under the GPSR:
- Marketplaces must establish a single product safety contact point.
- Authorities can request removal of dangerous listings.
- Platforms must cooperate with market surveillance authorities.
The UK’s approach may diverge in detail, but core obligations are expected to be similar.
Is there guidance available on how the UK will apply this Act?
Yes. The UK government has published a Code of Conduct2, which:
- Outlines both statutory and non-statutory safeguards.
- Commits to ensuring that all future regulations under the Act are proportionate, evidence-based, and subject to appropriate scrutiny.
- Clarifies the government’s intention to support innovation, compliance and enforcement.
What should businesses do now?
- Monitor for upcoming consultations on online marketplace rules – these are expected imminently.
- Engage with online platforms to understand how they plan to comply with new duties.
- Review product safety documentation, labelling, and traceability measures to ensure readiness for increased oversight.
- Consider alignment with EU GPSR requirements, particularly if exporting to the EU.
How can we help?
Intertek is uniquely positioned to support brands, retailers, and online sellers in navigating the evolving regulatory landscape. Our expertise spans compliance, product safety, and global market access.
Links
1 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/20/contents
2 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/product-safety-developing-policy-and-legislation
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