If your business sources products from online marketplaces – whether for resale, internal use or part of a service – you may soon benefit from tighter product safety rules.

The newly passed Product Regulation and Metrology Act gives regulators more power to crack down on unsafe goods sold online. It’s part of the Government’s Plan for Change and aims to hold online platforms like Amazon, eBay and others to the same safety standards as high street retailers.

The move follows rising concerns over dangerous products. As an example, there’s been an increase in safety incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters, many of which involve unsafe lithium-ion batteries.

Online marketplaces will soon be expected to:

  • Prevent unsafe products from being listed
  • Ensure sellers meet product safety obligations
  • Provide clearer information to buyers
  • Cooperate with regulators

If you’re buying for your business, this should mean that you can be more confident about the safety of items you buy online. It may be worth making sure that any online marketplaces or suppliers you use are complying with the new rules as they come into effect.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-new-laws-to-make-online-marketplaces-safer