Pet Product Regulations in the UK: A Practical Guide

Manufacturers and importers of pet products must adhere to strict requirements and safety standards to supply their products in the United Kingdom. Although these regulations are generally not specific to pet products, the products must still be safe to operate, not contain restricted substances, and comply with other relevant labelling requirements.

In this guide, we list requirements under UK regulations that are applicable to pet products, like the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012.

Note: We do not cover any requirements related to pet food, nor do we cover requirements that apply to packaging.

Which UK regulations apply to pet products and pet toys?

Below follows a list of selected compliance requirements for pet products in the UK. Note that additional requirements can apply. Further, the listed requirements are relevant to the following types of pet products:

• Stuffed toys for pets
• Floating leisure articles for pets
• Pet cushions
• Textile products for pets
• Furniture products for pets
• Wooden pet products
• Electronic pet products and their accessories
• Pet disinfecting soaps
• Pet oral or corporal hygiene products

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005

Overview	Information
Relevancy	These regulations require that consumer products are safe before they are sold in the UK. It applies to pet products like furniture, laser products, and floating leisure articles. While the GPSR 2005 does not explicitly mention pet products, we could not find any exemption either. Hence, it is likely that pet products are deemed to be consumer products, which are within the scope of the GPSR 2005.
General requirements	Products must be inherently safe and comply with standards when these exist. A pet product should not be harmful to either pets or to people in the vicinity. For example, a pet toy that poses a hazard to young children (despite not being a toy per se) could likely be recalled due to non-compliance with the GPSR 2005.
Documentation	1. Instructions 2. Register of complaints
Labeling requirements	1. Display traceability information 2. Warnings

Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. This regulation contains requirements that cover biocides and products treated with biocides. Biocidal products are used to control harmful organisms in different products, including pet products. 2. Here are some examples of pet products that are covered: Disinfectants Disinfecting soaps Oral or corporal hygiene products or with anti-microbial function Products used for the disinfection of containers associated with the consumption of animal food or feed
General requirements	1. Substance restrictions 2. Authorisation requirements
Documentation	1. Instructions for use 2. Application for approval of an active substance 3. Applications for authorisation
Labeling requirements	1. Authorisation holders must comply with packaging and labelling requirements 2. Ensure that a statement that the treated article incorporates biocidal products is present (for treated articles)

REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. This regulation contains requirements for the supply of substances, mixtures, and articles. It contains a list of substances that are restricted in Annex XVII. 2. The substance restrictions apply to pet products that are made from many different types of materials. For instance, plastic products could contain restricted phthalates. 3. The regulation also covers liquids and other mixtures.
General requirements	1. Comply with substance restrictions 2. Chemical registration requirements (if needed) 3. Notification requirements (if needed)
Documentation	These are requirements that apply to substances and mixtures: 1. Safety data sheet 2. Record-keeping obligations 3. Technical dossier 4. Chemical safety report

Persistent Organic Pollutant Regulation (EU) 2019/1021

Overview	Information
Relevancy	The regulation sets requirements for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and products containing POPs, including those contained in pet products. Covered substances can be found in pet products made of plastics, textile and other materials.
General requirements	1. Substance restrictions 2. Waste management requirements 3. Stockpile requirements

Timber Regulation (EU) 995/2010

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. This UK regulation contains requirements for imported timber and timber products to address illegal logging. 2. It covers pet products that are made of timber, like wooden dog houses.
General requirements	1. Comply with due diligence requirements 2. Use a due diligence system
Documentation	Keep documentation indicating compliance of timber and timber products

Textile Labelling and Fibre Composition Regulation (EU) 1007/2011

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. This regulation sets labelling requirements for textile products to ensure that the textile name and the fibre composition are disclosed to consumers. 2. It applies to pet products containing at least 80% by weight of textile fibres. Examples include pet furniture and toys made from textile materials.
Labeling requirements	Disclose the textile names and fibre compositions used

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. These UK regulations set flammability requirements for furniture products and filling materials used in products like cushions, pillows, mattresses, and upholstered furniture. 2. Here are some examples of pet products that are covered: Pet cushions Pet pillows Pet furniture Pet mattresses
General requirements	Comply with the flammability requirements
Labeling requirements	Comply with the permanent label requirements

The Food Imitations (Safety) Regulations 1989

Overview	Information
Relevancy	1. These regulations prohibit non-food products from being designed in such a way that they can be confused with food and ingested as a result, especially by children. 2. The prohibition applies to non-food pet products that can be mistaken for food, like pet toys that look like fruits.
General requirements	Comply with the prohibition

UK Electronic Pet Product Regulations

Electronic pet products are subject to the requirements of many UK electronic regulations, including those that require UKCA marking. These regulations apply to:

• Electronic pet products (e.g. laser products for pets)
• Their batteries
• Their chargers

Here are some examples of UK electronic regulations that are relevant to electronic pet products, their chargers, and batteries:

• The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
• The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012
• The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013
• The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
• The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017
• The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010
• The Plugs and Sockets (Safety) etc. Regulations 1994
• The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations 2023
• The Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008
• The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009

UK pet product standards

Standards contain technical specifications and safety requirements to ensure that the product is safe for handling. In the UK, many of the regulations’ requirements are fulfilled through the application of specific safety standards (i.e. designated standards or referenced standards), like BS EN standards.

Here are some examples of BS EN standards that are designated or referenced:

EN 50689 – Safety of laser products – Particular Requirements for Consumer Laser Products (Referenced under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005)

EN ISO 25649-1 – Floating leisure articles for use on and in the water – Part 1: Classification, materials, general requirements and test methods (Referenced under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005)

EN 60335-2-29 – Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2-29: Particular requirements for battery chargers (Designated under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016)

Even standards that are not designated or referenced under any regulation should be applied, as you are ultimately required to supply only safe products in the UK. Here are some examples of these standards:

BS EN 10334 – Steel for packaging. Flat steel products intended for use in contact with foodstuffs, products and beverages for human and animal consumption. Non-coated steel (blackplate)

BS EN 1021-1 – Furniture. Assessment of the ignitability of upholstered furniture – Ignition source smouldering cigarette

BS EN 1021-2 – Furniture. Assessment of the ignitability of upholstered furniture – Ignition source match flame equivalent

Note that there are more standards that apply to pet products.

Testing requirements

Having your pet products tested is necessary to comply with the performance and safety requirements of UK regulations and safety standards. As such, you should contact a testing company.

Here are the different types of testing that may be conducted for your pet product:

• Ignitability and fire resistance testing
• Substance testing
• RoHS testing
• Battery safety testing

After testing has been concluded, you can expect the lab testing company to provide you with test reports.

These test reports can be used to demonstrate compliance with the applicable UK regulations and safety standards.

FAQ

Are pet products regulated in the UK?

Yes, various UK regulations apply to pet products to some extent, depending on the characteristics of the product. For instance, pet products that are disinfectants for veterinary hygiene purposes are subject to the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012.

Additionally, there may be parts of the pet product that are covered by UK regulations. For example, pet products that contain electronic parts must meet the requirements of the relevant UK electronics regulations, like the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016.

Is UKCA marking required for pet products?

Not all pet products require the UKCA marking. This depends on the specific characteristics of the pet product and whether they are covered by UKCA marking regulations.

For instance, electronic pet products typically require UKCA marking along with their chargers (if included) because many of the applicable UK electronic regulations require the marking, like the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016.

Is UKCA marking required for pet toys?

In general, it is not required because there is no UK regulation that requires the UKCA marking specifically for pet toys. However, many pet toys may require the UKCA marking due to their characteristics (e.g. electronic pet toys).

Do the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2016 apply to pet toys?

These regulations apply to products that are designed to be played with by children aged 14 years old and below. Thus, they would not apply to pet toys, unless the toy is also designed to be played with by children.

With that said, you can still have your pet toys tested against the EN 71 standards, which are designated under the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2016, to ensure that the product is safe for use.

Are there UK product safety standards for pet products?

We could not find any standards that are specific to pet products. However, we did find many standards that are related to pet products, like the following:

EN 50689 – Safety of laser products – Particular Requirements for Consumer Laser Products (Referenced under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005)

BS EN 10334 – Steel for packaging. Flat steel products intended for use in contact with foodstuffs, products and beverages for human and animal consumption. Non-coated steel (blackplate)

What UK labelling requirements apply to pet products?

Pet products, like most other products, must feature traceability information. This is information about the product (like model number) and about the manufacturer (like the manufacturer’s name and address).

Additionally, depending on what regulations the pet product is subject to, additional labelling information like UKCA marking, warnings, and instructions may be required.

Note: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.