Keeping up with technological change: landmark product safety regulation receives royal assent

In a significant move, aimed at bolstering the safety of online shopping, the Government has enacted the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 (the Act) as part of its Plan for Change.

The Act is designed to address the evolving challenges posed by technological advancements and changes in consumer behaviour, particularly in the context of online marketplaces. 

Key changes introduced 

A comprehensive Regulatory Framework

The Act provides a flexible legal framework that allows the Secretary of State to enact detailed regulations regarding product safety and metrology. This includes powers to:

• Set or update safety standards for a wide range of products, from electrical goods to e-bikes and other emerging technologies.
• Align UK regulations with European Union standards when beneficial to reduce trade barriers, while still preserving the ability to diverge where necessary.
• Introduce modernised metrology rules to ensure the continued accuracy of measurement systems used in commerce.

Emphasis on technological advancements

One of the central objectives of the Act is to keep pace with rapid technological change. It allows subsequent product regulations to address:

1) AI driven products; and

2) Digital and Online Marketplaces.

AI

The Act aims to ensure that AI-driven products meet stringent safety standards, mitigating risks associated with their use and fostering consumer trust in these innovative technologies.

This includes setting clear guidelines for the development, testing, and deployment of AI systems to prevent malfunctions and ensure user safety.

Digital and Online Marketplaces

The Act also seeks to clarify the responsibilities of digital and online marketplaces, ensuring that products sold online meet the same safety and regulatory standards as those sold in brick-and-mortar stores. 

The Act mandates that these platforms take proactive measures to verify the safety and compliance of products listed on their site and adapt to significant new compliance requirements, such as:

• monitoring listings;
• removing non-compliant products;
• providing clear information about product risks to consumers; and
• co-operating with regulatory authorities in enforcement actions. 

The new rules for online marketplaces may mirror some of the obligations imposed at EU level under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which came into force in December 2024. The GPSR place obligations on online marketplaces to prevent dangerous products being sold. For example, they must co-operate with market surveillance authorities if they find a dangerous product on their platform and must establish a single point of contact responsible for product safety.

The EU Digital Services Act (DSA) also imposes more stringent obligations on ‘Very Large Online Platforms’, (VLOPs) with more than 45 million users per month in the EU. Online marketplaces that are designated as VLOPs have to comply with extensive trader traceability requirements and obligations to identify and remove unsafe products, as well as onerous annual auditing obligations. The large Chinese online marketplace AliExpress recently entered into commitments with the European Commission under the DSA which included (amongst other things) a commitment to implement more robust verification of sellers, including strengthened identity checks through relevant technological means.

In the UK, some elements of the DSA are replicated in the Online Safety Act insofar as they relate to harmful digital content. However, there are no current equivalent obligations for the largest online platforms when it comes to the sale of potentially dangerous products. The Act may change that. 

While the Act lays the groundwork for a modern regulatory regime, much of its impact will depend on the secondary legislation that follows. 

The Government has confirmed it intends to introduce new requirements for online marketplaces at the earliest opportunity.
Businesses should stay informed of these forthcoming regulations, seek guidance from trade associations, and consider internal audits or appointing specialised compliance resources to keep pace with evolving requirements.

For expert guidance and support, TLT LLP’s regulatory specialists are on hand to assist with all your product compliance needs. 

This publication is intended for general guidance and represents our understanding of the relevant law and practice as at July 2025. Specific advice should be sought for specific cases. For more information see our terms & conditions.