In 2018, the government created a new national regulator for product safety within BEIS, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), to lead and coordinate the UK’s product safety system. In March 2021 a review was launched seeking views on the UK's product safety framework.
The BRC response says:
- Compliance advice for businesses needs to be clearer and easier to understand
- Regulators should engage with businesses earlier when considering changes or additions to regulations
- 'Right to Repair' regulations need to ensure that consumer safety, repairer competency and business liability issues are addressed
The review is seeking views on the longer-term approach to product safety and how to ensure that the framework is fit for the future. In particular, OPSS will consider whether the UK's product safety framework:
• adequately protects consumers from unsafe goods;
• is sufficiently simple to follow and flexible enough to be able to take account of new
risks and opportunities, so it delivers both safe outcomes and supports business
growth and innovation;
• can respond quickly to new and emerging threats, and opportunities for product
safety, including digital technologies and new models of supply; and
• supports both regulators and business to be open and transparent about product
safety so consumers can make informed decisions