This Act matters when a product causes harm or is alleged to be defective. Product businesses should think beyond refund terms: design, manufacturing, warnings, traceability, supplier warranties and insurance all matter when a defective product claim appears.
Main laws
United Kingdom Act
Consumer Protection Act 1987
The Consumer Protection Act 1987 is a key UK product liability and product safety statute, including strict liability for defective products.
In forceUnited KingdomPlain-English guide4 practical checks
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
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Quick read
- This Act matters when a product causes harm or is alleged to be defective.
- Product businesses should think beyond refund terms: design, manufacturing, warnings, traceability, supplier warranties and insurance all matter when a defective product claim...
Likely relevant if
- Manufacturers and product brands
- Importers and private-label retailers
- Distributors and ecommerce sellers
Check first
- Understand producer, importer and supplier exposure
- Keep product traceability and safety records
- Use accurate warnings, instructions and product descriptions
What this means in practice
Key points
- A supplier warranty is not the same thing as protection from a customer claim.
- Private label and imported products need extra care because the local seller may carry producer-style risk.
- Incident records should connect product batch, supplier and customer information.
When this law usually matters
Most businesses do not need to memorise the whole law. The useful starting point is to know when it is likely to affect a contract, customer journey, employee process, data flow or company decision.
Key points
- Manufacturers and product brands
- Importers and private-label retailers
- Distributors and ecommerce sellers
- Businesses reviewing product liability insurance
What to check first
Sense check
- Understand producer, importer and supplier exposure
- Keep product traceability and safety records
- Use accurate warnings, instructions and product descriptions
- Align supplier indemnities and insurance with product risk
Documents and workflows to review
Key points
- Supplier agreement
- Product liability insurance
- Instructions and warnings
- Batch and traceability records
- Incident response process