Product safety

Consumer safety is one of our priorities. We work to ensure all products offered for sale in Cheshire East are safe and any hazards are correctly labelled.

You can find advice on home and product safety on the RoSPA website.

Unsafe products

Stop using the product straight away. Take a photo / video of the product and make a note of the make, batch, serial or model number. Have the instructions, any packaging and proof of purchase to hand.

Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 for advice on your rights and for your complaint to be referred to trading standards. They will pass your complaint on to us, and if appropriate we will investigate and take action.

Traders product safety information

Traders must comply with safety rules when they manufacture, sell, supply or make products available for your use.

Traders who produce and distribute products must only supply products that are safe. This means traders must 

• mark products for identification and traceability purposes
• sample test
• complaints investigation
• pass on information to consumers about any risks posed by the product

Product safety is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and other laws covering specific types of products - for example toys, electrical equipment and cosmetics. These laws can be complex.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) place a duty on producers (for example, manufacturers, importers, brand owners and anyone who repairs or reconditions a product) and distributors (for example, wholesalers, retailers, agents and auctioneers) to supply products, both new and second-hand to consumers that are safe.

Products that are sold, leased, hired, exchanged, given away as prizes or gifts, or provided as part of a delivery of a service (for example, the provision of a hairdryer in a hotel room for guests' use) are all covered by these Regulations.

Factors when deciding whether a product is safe:

• the characteristics of a product (how it is made, packaging and any instructions for assembly)
• the effect of the product on other products it is used with
• its presentation (labelling, warnings and any instructions for use and disposal)
• the types of consumers using the product 

Product specific safety regulations

Product-specific safety regulations cover certain types of products that have their own particular safety requirements - for example, electrical equipment, cosmetics and toys. Where requirements under product-specific regulations overlap those of the GPSR, the specific regulations apply; however, the GPSR act as top-up regulations to cover aspects of safety that may not otherwise be covered. For example, some product-specific regulations only deal with the safety of new products, but the GPSR will apply to those products when they are supplied second-hand.

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