Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025: Everything You Need To Know

As part of its Plan for Change initiative, the UK government introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 earlier this year. 

Under the new law, products sold by ecommerce businesses and online marketplaces will be held to the same standards as a physical, brick-and-mortar store.

This new regulation was passed to make online marketplaces safer and protect the public from dangerous products. But what does this mean for online stores and sellers?

At Startups, we’ve helped entrepreneurs stay up to date with relevant laws for 25 years. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about the Product Regulation and Metrology Act, including what’s changing, who it applies to, and how you can comply.

What is the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025?

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 is a new law that came into effect on 21 July 2025, establishing a new legal framework to regulate how products are marketed, sold, and used in the UK. 

As part of this, online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy will be held accountable for dangerous products sold on their platforms, ensuring they take greater responsibility for vetting sellers and removing unsafe goods. Ecommerce businesses and online sellers will also be responsible for complying with these regulations.

The new law was introduced as a response to the increase in fire-related incidents following the sales of e-bikes and e-scooters. In 2024, the Office for Product Safety and Standards received reports of 211 fires involving these products, equivalent to a fire every 1.7 days.

What’s changing with the new law?

Several changes will take place under this new law. The Act is split into three primary sections, which are as follows:

Product regulations (sections 1-4)

The Secretary of State may introduce regulations to reduce/manage dangers that products might pose, ensure products work well and efficiently, and that products used for weighing or measuring are accurate. Certain products are excluded from this, such as food, medicine, and medical devices.

Metrology (sections 5-6)

Enables the Secretary of State to decide which units of measurement (e.g. kilograms, metres, or litres) are legal to use, and regulate the specific quantities (amounts) that products may be sold in.

Supplementary provisions (sections 7-11)

The law outlines how authorities can share information to ensure the rules are followed, make changes to older regulations, and add new rules for how these regulations will work with Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish governments.

Who does the Act apply to?

The Act applies to all parties involved in the lifecycle of a product marketed or used in the UK. This includes the manufacturer, importer, distributor, the person who installs a product, online marketplaces/retailers, and quality control agencies.

This law doesn’t only apply to those selling fire-hazard batteries or e-bikes/e-scooters. Instead, the Act’s power can be used to make regulations for any tangible item that is marketed or used in the UK, including toys, cosmetics, furniture, and industrial equipment. As mentioned above, items like food, medicine, and medical devices are not included.

Moreover, the law doesn’t just cover the physical product (e.g. the scooter itself), but also the software and non-physical components that come with or are linked to the product, such as controlling software or an app.

What should online marketplaces do to comply?

Under the Act, online marketplaces have a clear set of responsibilities to help protect consumers and maintain product safety. These obligations focus on making sure that unsafe products don’t reach buyers and that sellers meet the required standards.

Online marketplaces are expected to:

• Prevent unsafe products from being made available to consumers
• Ensure that online sellers operating on the platform comply with safety obligations
• Provide relevant safety information
• Cooperate closely with regulators

These rules are similar to those of the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and Digital Services Act (DSA), both of which apply to online marketplaces operating within that region.

How to prepare your business for compliance

To stay compliant, online stores and ecommerce retailers should take a proactive approach to product safety and regulatory requirements. 

• Stay updated: Keep track of changes in product safety laws to ensure compliance.
• Audit your products: Review your product range to make sure everything meets current safety standards.
• Get your documents in order: Maintain clear records of safety certifications, risk assessments, test reports, and compliance documents, in case regulators request them.
• Communicate with regulators: Be proactive and responsive when authorities reach out, and ensure full cooperation during inspections or investigations.

What will happen to those who don’t comply?

As with any law, the consequences for not complying with the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 can be severe, resulting in product removal, reputational damage, and even criminal penalties.

Immediate actions include the authorities issuing notices to prohibit the marketing or use of a product. This can result in a withdrawal from the market (removal from shelves) or a complete recall (customers must return it). They can also seize and retain unsafe products.

In more serious cases, authorities may impose financial penalties for breaches of regulation. Additionally, if a violation is found to be a criminal offence, a person could face unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment.

Conclusion

Overall, the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 is there to protect consumers from unsafe products and to prevent further health and safety incidents.

Online marketplaces and sellers should take the time to meet compliance with this new law by ensuring products meet these standards, keeping up to date with new legislation, and being fully cooperative when regulators come knocking.

Compliance not only protects you from serious penalties but also helps build customer trust, boost brand reputation, and create a safer marketplace for everyone.