Europe · United Kingdom (Great Britain)
What does it take to sell cosmetics in United Kingdom (Great Britain)? Entry route, responsibility, labeling
Pre-market notification on OPSS's Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications (SCPN) service by…; Responsible person: A Responsible Person established in the UK (manufacturer, i…; Labeling: English labelling with UK RP name/address.
Latest change 2026-01-12 — SI 2026/23 bans 4-MBC (enzacamene) and cuts the 'contains formaldehyde' warning threshold to 0.001% released from 2026-07-15, and adds CMR substances incl. TPO to Annex II from 2026-08-15 (sell-through to 2027-02-14); SI 2026/109 (Mar 2026) restricts hexyl salicylate from 2026-08-15 and bans 17 further CMRs incl. nano silver from 2027-03-23 (sell-through 2027-09-22). Source
Factory-side digest; the official text prevails; not legal advice.
- Authority
- Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), Department for Business and Trade
- Main regulation
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (assimilated GB law); SI 2019/696 Schedule 34 · UK Cosmetics Regulation — assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as amended by Schedule 34 of the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
- In force
- 2021-01-01
- Market entry
- Pre-market notification on OPSS's Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications (SCPN) service by the UK Responsible Person before placing on the GB market; Northern Ireland stays under EU CPNP rules.
- Responsible person
- A Responsible Person established in the UK (manufacturer, importer or a company appointed by mandate) is mandatory and its address goes on the label; an EU RP is not accepted for GB.
- Safety file
- PIF with a Cosmetic Product Safety Report signed by a suitably qualified safety assessor (qualification recognised in the UK), kept 10 years and available in English on request.
- Labeling
- English labelling with UK RP name/address; INCI list; only the historic 26 fragrance allergens must be declared (>0.001% leave-on / >0.01% rinse-off) because GB has not adopted the EU 2023/1545 expansion; formaldehyde-releaser warning at ≥0.001% from 2026-07-15.
- Animal testing
- Testing and marketing bans carried over from EU law (Art. 18 of the assimilated regulation) remain in force.
- Ingredient lists
- Annexes II–VI of the UK Cosmetics Regulation (prohibited, restricted, colorants, preservatives, UV filters), now amended by UK statutory instruments on their own timetable.
- Notes
- SI 2026/109 dates (hexyl salicylate 2026-08-15; 17 CMRs 2027-03-23) come from Cosmeservice/CIRS summaries, the legislation.gov.uk text could not be fetched; OPSS has not concluded any consultation on adopting the expanded allergen list as of Sept 2026.
- Look up this inventory here
- 欧盟 · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 — Annexes II to VI
- Official text
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2009/1223
Changes 2025–2026
- UK SI 2026/23 and SI 2026/109 set GB-specific bans and dates
Great Britain bans 4-MBC and lowers the formaldehyde-releaser warning threshold to 0.001% from 15 July 2026, bans CMRs incl. TPO from 15 August 2026 (sell-through to 14 February 2027), restricts hexyl salicylate from 15 August 2026 and bans 17 more CMRs incl. nano silver from 23 March 2027, while still not adopting the EU 2023/1545 allergen expansion. Source
FAQ
Does United Kingdom (Great Britain) require notification or registration before sale?
Pre-market notification on OPSS's Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications (SCPN) service by the UK Responsible Person before placing on the GB market; Northern Ireland stays under EU CPNP rules.
Is a local responsible person mandatory in United Kingdom (Great Britain)?
A Responsible Person established in the UK (manufacturer, importer or a company appointed by mandate) is mandatory and its address goes on the label; an EU RP is not accepted for GB.
What are the labeling requirements in United Kingdom (Great Britain)?
English labelling with UK RP name/address; INCI list; only the historic 26 fragrance allergens must be declared (>0.001% leave-on / >0.01% rinse-off) because GB has not adopted the EU 2023/1545 expansion; formaldehyde-releaser warning at ≥0.001% from 2026-07-15.
What changed recently in United Kingdom (Great Britain) cosmetic regulation?
2026-01-12 SI 2026/23 bans 4-MBC (enzacamene) and cuts the 'contains formaldehyde' warning threshold to 0.001% released from 2026-07-15, and adds CMR substances incl. TPO to Annex II from 2026-08-15 (sell-through to 2027-02-14); SI 2026/109 (Mar 2026) restricts hexyl salicylate from 2026-08-15 and bans 17 further CMRs incl. nano silver from 2027-03-23 (sell-through 2027-09-22).
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