Consumer Safety

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has an important role to protect consumers against unsafe goods which are manufactured, distributed, supplied or sold in the district. An unsafe product is one that poses a risk of injury during normal use, when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

All consumer goods including second hand goods must meet the relevant legislation or recognised safety standards, however many people are injured each year due to unsafe consumer goods.

How the Council Helps Protect Consumers

The Council’s Consumer Protection team works to make sure goods sold locally are safe. This includes:

Investigating complaints from consumers
Carrying out inspections
Sampling and testing goods to make sure they meet safety standards
Providing advice and support to businesses
Advice for Businesses

The Council offers guidance to help businesses meet consumer protection legislation.

Manufacturers, importers and distributors have a legal responsibility to make sure their products are safe before selling them.

For further information or advice, please contact the Consumer Protection team.

What is a Safe Product?

The General Safety Requirement means that goods must be “reasonably safe in all the circumstances.”
This includes consideration of:

How the product is marked or labelled
Any warnings or instructions provided
Relevant published safety standards
Manufacturers and importers have an increased level of responsibility for ensuring product safety.

What to look for when buying goods

Only buy goods from reputable suppliers
Check for recognised safety marks or labels, such as:
BEAB approval mark
Kite mark
CE mark
Cigarette/Match Resistant labels
Always read and follow instructions and warnings carefully
Keep receipts as proof of purchase
Use goods only for their intended purpose

For more advice on staying safe when buying products, visit: Consumer product safety: advice for staying safe.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply to all products (new and second-hand) used by consumers. These legal requirements are the same whether goods are sold from a business premises, home, market stall or online platform.

The General Product Safety Regulations Guide helps businesses understand and meet these regulations as they apply in Northern Ireland. It explains what must be done before a product is put on the market. This is to make sure all consumer products meet the general safety rules.

Certain products are covered by specific legislation. Guidance is available for:

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the competent authority for the UK’s e-cigarette and refill container notification scheme. The following link may be useful.

For more product safety information and guidance, visit:

Product Safety for Businesses: A to Z of industry guidance

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/product-safety-advice-for-businesses

https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/product-safety

Downloads

health and safety and consumer protection registration form
Download