Online sellers need separate consumer-law and product-safety checks

What the evidence says

GOV.UK distance-selling guidance says traders must provide key information before an order, including their identity and contact address, a description of the goods or services, the price including taxes, payment and delivery arrangements, and cancellation conditions. For most business-to-consumer distance sales of goods, customers must be told that they can cancel within 14 days after delivery; exceptions and separate rules apply to some products and services.

Competition and Markets Authority guidance says the unfair-commercial-practices provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 apply to practices from 6 April 2025. An invitation to purchase must present material information clearly, including the product's main characteristics, the total price and mandatory charges, optional delivery costs, trader identity and contact information, and applicable cancellation rights.

Those transaction rules do not replace product-safety duties. OPSS says businesses that make, import, distribute or sell consumer products are responsible for safety and applicable labelling. The general regime differs within the UK: the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 continue in Great Britain, while Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied in Northern Ireland since 13 December 2024 and includes responsibilities for providers of online marketplaces. Product-specific rules may also apply.

Why it matters

The useful distinction

Launching a storefront or listing through a marketplace is not itself a compliance check. Sellers need to identify the market, their supply-chain role, the information required at the point of sale and the product-specific rules and evidence that apply before listing. This briefing is general information, not legal advice.