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Cosmetics safety notifications: a compliance check for UK SMEs

Pen-and-ink illustration of a small cosmetics business owner checking product bottles and compliance documents, with a small tucked-away Union Jack as the only coloured element

UK cosmetics businesses have a fresh reminder that product notification is not a paperwork formality. New figures from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) show that 861,686 cosmetic product notifications had been submitted to the national system by 28 May 2026, involving 24,112 registered Responsible Persons.

The figures cover the Submit a Cosmetic Product Notification service, known as SCPN. The service has operated since December 2020 and is the route businesses use to meet the notification requirement for cosmetics placed on the market in Great Britain.

For small manufacturers, importers, beauty brands and retailers launching own-label products, the practical message is simple: establish who is legally responsible, complete the safety work before launch and make sure the information submitted and printed on the product remains accurate.

What the new data shows

OPSS published the figures following a parliamentary inquiry into the safety and regulation of beauty and cosmetic products, including hair relaxers. The regulator said it has previously acted where products notified through SCPN contained banned chemicals, requiring businesses to correct information or remove products containing prohibited ingredients.

The large number of notifications does not mean that every notified product has been individually approved. Notification is one part of a wider compliance system. Before a cosmetic product is made available, it must be assessed by a qualified professional to confirm it is safe. Products supplied to consumers in Great Britain must also have a named Responsible Person.

That distinction matters for smaller firms buying finished products from a supplier or developing a range through a contract manufacturer. A listing on SCPN does not replace the business checks needed for formulation, safety assessment, labelling and traceability.

Who needs to pay attention

The rules can affect more than specialist factories. They are relevant to salons selling branded products, online sellers importing cosmetics, start-ups using private-label manufacturers and established retailers creating an own-brand line.

For products placed on the market in Great Britain, notification is made through SCPN via a Responsible Person based in the UK. Northern Ireland follows a different route: products placed on its market must be notified through the EU Cosmetics Products Notification Portal, with a Responsible Person based in Northern Ireland or the European Economic Area.

A business selling across both markets should therefore avoid assuming that one notification process covers every destination. It should identify where each product will be supplied and confirm that the correct Responsible Person and process are in place before sales begin.

A practical pre-launch check

OPSS guidance says all cosmetic products must be safe whether they are sold, given away or used professionally. SMEs preparing a launch or reviewing an existing range can use the following points as a basic control list:

  • Confirm that a qualified professional has completed the required product safety assessment.
  • Identify the Responsible Person and make sure their name and appropriate address appear on the product.
  • Complete the correct notification before making the product available in the relevant UK market.
  • Check that precautions, quantity, batch identification, durability information, country of origin where required, and ingredients are presented correctly.
  • Make sure required consumer information is in English and easy to read.
  • Keep supplier, formulation and batch records organised so a concern can be investigated quickly.
  • Review existing listings and labels when a formulation, supplier, Responsible Person or product detail changes.

Retailers should also scrutinise goods they buy for resale. Missing information, poor English, no named Responsible Person or an unsuitable address are warning signs highlighted in official consumer guidance. Low-volume sourcing through overseas marketplaces does not remove the need to check that a product can legally and safely be supplied.

What SMEs should do now

Businesses do not need to react to the statistics by resubmitting unchanged information. A more useful response is to audit one current product line from end to end: match the safety documentation to the formulation, compare the notification with the label, confirm the Responsible Person arrangement and check which market the product is intended for.

Any gaps should be raised with the safety assessor, manufacturer or compliance specialist before more stock is ordered or a new batch is launched. Firms should also monitor official product safety alerts and build a clear process for stopping sales and tracing affected batches if a problem emerges.

The notification figures show the scale of the UK cosmetics market and the regulator’s visibility of it. For an SME, careful records and a disciplined pre-launch check are far less costly than correcting labels, withdrawing stock or responding to enforcement after products reach customers.

Sources

Office for Product Safety and Standards: new data on UK cosmetic product safety notifications

Office for Product Safety and Standards: consumer products — cosmetics

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