Under existing legislation, businesses must only supply safe consumer products. Relevant authorities have powers to require withdrawal of unsafe products from supply and, where appropriate, their recall. The Office for Product Safety and Standards coordinates regulatory activity to ensure online marketplaces prevent and remove any unsafe products from their sites.

The Government recently consulted on proposals to simplify and strengthen the current fragmented enforcement framework. These reforms are intended to create a clearer, more coherent regulatory regime, giving relevant authorities the tools they need to identify and tackle unsafe products across supply chains, including products sold through online marketplaces.

The formal consultation on the UK’s new product safety framework closed on 23 June. It received considerable interest from businesses, consumer groups and other stakeholders, including members of the public and we are now analysing the responses received. Delivering the new product safety framework is a priority for the Department. Given the breadth and complexity of the issues raised, it is important that we analyse and carefully consider the feedback from stakeholders before finalising the Government's position. Following this consideration, we will publish our response in due course.

Our laws are clear: the UK has a zero-tolerance approach to asbestos in consumer products. Where it is identified, businesses that supplied affected products must recall them, taking all reasonable steps to identify and notify affected consumers, and publishing information to raise broader awareness. Local Authorities are overseeing product recalls led by businesses within their areas, ensuring these are effective and follow best practices. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and local authorities have powers to take further action where business actions are not effective in mitigating the risks. Recalls are published by OPSS on GOV.UK to further raise awareness.

The Department expects services to follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidance and the Royal College of Nursing standards. These emphasise that continence care should be safe, effective, and uphold dignity, including provision of products that meet clinical need and are of appropriate quality.

Aside from certain specified products such as food there is no requirement for goods to be labelled with their country of origin. The government does not have plans to introduce such a requirement on behalf of consumers.

Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, traders are banned from using misleading statements about the geographical or commercial origin of products including in response to requests for information by consumers. Alleged breaches of this legislation should be reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service in the first instance.

Under the UK’s product safety framework, anyone who distributes consumer products in a commercial capacity, including pedlars, has a duty not to supply products that they know, or should be aware, are unsafe or non-compliant. Local authorities, rather than the police, enforce product safety regulations at a local level. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, as national regulator, works with local authorities providing the tools they need to ensure business comply with the law, keeping consumers safe.

Pedlars must have a licence to operate and are also subject to relevant provisions in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.

My Department is working with the Northern Ireland Government on the transposition of the new Product Liability Directive, which will include working with them to consider whether guidance may potentially be helpful to businesses in understanding the new product liability framework. However, it should be noted that the Directive does not impose any additional rules on businesses governing which products may be placed on the EU or Northern Ireland markets, or the safety requirements they must meet.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, holds regular meetings with a range of online marketplaces operating in the UK. OPSS engages to ensure platforms deliver their obligations for preventing the supply of unsafe products, and holds them to account for the sellers and products available on their sites.

OPSS has raised the issue of asbestos in sand-containing products in recent meetings to ensure online marketplaces take swift action to remove recalled products, and to check the compliance of similar products. This has resulted in hundreds of online listings being removed across all major platforms.

UK law is clear that products must be safe, including those sold online. Despite this, we recognise that non-compliant products remain available to consumers.

On 31 March, the Government launched a major package of consultations on updating the product safety legislative framework. These include proposals for strong and clear duties on online marketplaces to be proactive in ensuring that the products and sellers on their sites are safe and abide by the law.

Following consultation, Government intends to bring forward legislation to implement these proposals using powers in the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, is coordinating the regulatory response to asbestos-contaminated consumer products, working closely with Local Authorities to enforce the regulations and monitor ongoing product recalls to ensure businesses are acting.

OPSS is in regular contact with businesses, including online marketplaces, to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and take appropriate action.

The Government is currently consulting on a range of proposals to modernise and strengthen the UK’s product safety enforcement framework, including online, following royal assent of the PRAM Act 2025.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, holds regular meetings with a range of online marketplaces operating in the UK. OPSS engages to ensure platforms deliver their obligations for preventing the supply of unsafe products, and holds them to account for the sellers and products available on their sites.

OPSS has raised the issue of asbestos in sand-containing products in recent meetings to ensure online marketplaces take swift action to remove recalled products, and to check the compliance of similar products. This has resulted in hundreds of online listings being removed across all major platforms.

Existing product safety rules make businesses responsible for the safety of the products they place on the UK market. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in my Department is working with HSE, departments and agencies across UK Government to effectively tackle the sale of asbestos-containing products, whether online or through physical stores, in line with its published incident management plan.

OPSS has led and coordinated the wider government response, bringing together experts to ensure a coherent approach to keeping people safe. Specific resources have been developed by OPSS, HSE and partners for consumers, businesses and schools.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in my Department is coordinating the regulatory response to product safety concerns regarding asbestos, supporting Local Authorities who are leading regulatory activity with businesses in their areas, including those supplying online in line with its published incident management plan.

OPSS works with LAs providing tools they need to ensure businesses comply with the law and take necessary steps to keep the public safe, including briefing to local authorities on issues related to asbestos in sand, updates in weekly communications, and information materials and online resources to support their enforcement activity.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, is coordinating the regulatory response to asbestos-contaminated consumer products, working closely with Local Authorities to enforce the regulations and monitor ongoing product recalls to ensure businesses are acting.

OPSS is in regular contact with businesses, including online marketplaces, to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and take appropriate action.

The Government is currently consulting on a range of proposals to modernise and strengthen the UK’s product safety enforcement framework, including online, following royal assent of the PRAM Act 2025.

The Department has not made a specific assessment as integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning continence services in their areas. These services include assessment, treatment, and, where clinically appropriate, the supply of continence products. Decisions on the type and quantity of products are made by clinicians following individual assessment, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on incontinence and professional standards.

NHS Supply Chain supports trusts with the procurement of continence products through value-based procurement initiatives to ensure products are safe, effective, and cost-efficient. Further information on continence commissioning is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/continence/

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 April 2025 to UIN 40025. As previously stated, five products remain in use that are not certified as cruelty-free.

The cleaning contractor has identified two products (Cleanline Glass & Stainless Steel Cleaner and Cleanline Floor Polish) that meet requirements for cruelty-free certification and will transition to these going forward. However, as they currently hold existing stock of the previous products, these will be used before the new products are fully adopted.

For the remaining three products, although alternative options have been trialled, none have yet met the required performance standards. The cleaning contractor will continue to explore suitable alternatives.