United Kingdom: Product Liability & Safety

The United Kingdom has launched its Self-Driving Vehicle Pilot Scheme, establishing the first lawful pathway for fully driverless commercial operations on British roads. Businesses seeking to deploy autonomous vehicles must navigate a multi-layered approval process involving vehicle certification, special orders, and passenger service permits. With the government forecasting 38,000 new jobs and a £42 billion industry by 2035, this regulatory framework marks a pivotal moment for automated driving system

Local food authorities have considerable powers to investigate food safety offences, and every year, hundreds of businesses are prosecuted. For many businesses, there will have been warning signs, with enforcement...

In the EU, the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (“GPSR”) came into force on 13 December 2024, replacing the decades-old General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC and applying directly...

The European Commission is seeking views on two initiatives to update the EU product safety framework. This aims to make sure that all products on the Single Market are safe and fit...

The risk posed by counterfeit goods and vehicle parts potentially impacts all those in the automotive industry including manufacturers, distributors and garage operators.

Thoroughly enjoyed my day with the British Beauty Council during British Beauty Week. We heard from many trailblazing individuals on what the 'Future of Beauty' looks like to them.

Cheap, accessible and just a click away - counterfeit cosmetics are flooding the UK market, but the real cost may be far higher than consumers realise.

Just as businesses are getting to grips with the new General Product Safety Regulation, and the Product Liability Directive comes into force in December 2026, the EU is also proposing new product safety rules for toys.

As the DMCC Act comes into force in the UK, the EU is not sitting still on consumer law either.