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The EU legislation still applies in Northern Ireland due to the agreements between Ireland, which is part of the EU, and Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom.
What you need to know to sell toys in Great Britain
To be placed on the market, toys must be safe for use by children. Toys do not have to endanger safety and health of children, considering the behaviour of both children and their supervisor.
If you are a manufacturer of toys and you want to sell your products in Great Britain, you must comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations. Similar to the EU Directive on Toys Safety, the UK Toys Regulations cover toys designed or intended (whether or not exclusively) for use in play by children under 14 years old.
While toys in the European Union must bear the CE Marking, toys sold in Great Britain must display the UKCA marking from January 2021. However, manufacturers can benefit from the transitional period that ends on 31 December, 2024. In November 2022, the UK government extended the original deadline of 31 December 2022 by two years.
How to ensure compliance of toys
The safety of toys can be assessed through a self-declaration, when allowed by the Regulations, or a third-party body. In the United Kingdom, third-party assessment bodies are called Approved Bodies (Notified Body in the EU). Comparable to the EU Directive, safety requirements of toys take into account hazards related to physical and mechanical properties, flammability, hygiene requirements, chemical properties, electrical properties, and radioactivity.
Manufacturers of toys that are not based in the United Kingdom may appoint a UK Authorised Representative. Obelis UK acts as authorised representative for manufacturers of toys, guides you through the compliance process, and helps you creating the correct documentation.
Obelis UK is certified according to the international standards ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 for representative and consulting services.
Our regulatory affairs consultants are committed to deliver the most efficient compliance process and support manufacturers to safely place their products on the UK market.
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