United Kingdom: Product Liability & Safety

Food allergy deaths remain preventable tragedies despite recent legal reforms in the UK. This analysis examines three critical pieces of legislation—Benedict's Law, Natasha's Law, and the proposed Owen's Law—revealing how each addresses specific gaps in allergy safety across schools, retail, and hospitality sectors, while highlighting the fragmented protections that still leave vulnerable individuals at risk depending on where and how food is served.

Advanced 'super shoes' are transforming elite running performance, but as technology accelerates, so do critical questions around product safety, regulatory compliance and commercial liability. Following the 2026 London Marathon, where both winners wore Adidas' latest carbon-plated footwear, legal experts examine how brands, athletes and governing bodies must navigate the complex intersection of innovation, World Athletics regulations and potential litigation risks.

The UK's automated vehicles regime enters a critical new phase as the Department for Transport prepares a 2026 consultation on the wider regulatory framework following the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. This consultation will address operational, insurance and liability issues that will determine how claims are handled and risks priced in the emerging self-driving vehicle ecosystem. For insurers, this represents a pivotal opportunity to shape the future claims, liability and data-sharing framework that will u

Trading Standards investigations can escalate rapidly from routine inquiries into serious criminal prosecutions involving fraud, product safety violations, and proceeds of crime proceedings. Understanding the powers of Trading Standards officers, the range of criminal offences they investigate, and the available defences is essential for businesses and directors facing regulatory scrutiny.

Hull City Council's seizure of over 1,000 counterfeit "Squeezy Dumplings" toys containing the carcinogen benzene highlights the critical intellectual property and product safety challenges facing brand owners and retailers. This incident demonstrates how counterfeit goods can damage both consumer safety and brand reputation, while exploring the legal remedies and proactive measures available to combat the growing threat of unsafe imitations in the novelty toy market.

The European Union Ecolabel represents a voluntary certification system that evaluates products across their entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. As the EU transitions toward a circular economy model, this world-renowned label helps distinguish credible environmental claims from misleading ones through transparent, independently verified standards.

The UK government has launched consultations proposing a fundamental overhaul of product safety regulation that would transform online marketplaces from passive platforms into active regulatory gatekeepers. These reforms introduce proactive duties requiring marketplaces to prevent, identify and remove dangerous products through systematic risk management, seller verification and enhanced enforcement mechanisms.

The UK government has released its Construction Products Reform White Paper and General Safety Requirement consultation, proposing sweeping changes to construction products regulation. These reforms introduce stricter compliance requirements, enhanced enforcement powers including criminal sanctions and unlimited fines, and establish clear accountability across all construction industry stakeholders from manufacturers to developers.

This article explores the importance of public liability insurance, its benefits for day-to-day risk management and the key issues businesses should understand when taking out cover.