On February 26th, the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with support from the British Furniture Association, hosted a roundtable discussing the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations (FFR). The event brought together stakeholders from various sectors including retail members, trade associations, manufacturers, and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Summary of Key Discussions
The event consisted of a presentation by DBT’s FFR policy team as well as four discussion sessions.
To view the slides from DBT please click here.
To view a detailed document of the discussions scroll to the bottom of the webpage.
Key Topics Discussed
Chemical Flame Retardants
Participants discussed the compliance, business preparation for regulatory changes, and the balance between commercial costs and safety. There was significant debate on finding safer alternatives to current chemical flame retardants (CFRs) and the need for better consumer education on the reasons behind these changes.
Labelling Requirements
The session also focused on the feasibility and compliance of labelling, including digital product passports and supply chain transparency. Challenges were identified in terms of costs, data accuracy, and the practicality of implementing such systems.
Northern Ireland Regulations
Discussions highlighted the complexities of aligning UK and Northern Ireland regulations, particularly around flammability standards and labelling requirements. The potential business impacts and the need for investments to comply with dual standards were also noted.
Outdoor Furniture
The applicability of FFR to outdoor furniture was explored, with a consensus that outdoor furniture should meet the same safety standards as indoor furniture due to its common use in household settings.
Next Steps:
The BRC will continue to engage with DBT, OPSS, and Defra on various aspects of the FFR, including product and digital labelling.
We plans to organise focused webinars for members in collaboration with other trade associations were also discussed.
