Understanding the new changes to GPSR regulations

This week, the BRICKS team breaks down these regulations and what you can do to ensure your small business or online shop is regulation-compliant.

Coming into effect on 13th December 2024, the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) adds obligations on UK businesses selling non-food goods to consumers in the EU and Northern Ireland. 

This has been in the pipeline for years since the Brexit referendum – The EU has been working on the GPSR since 2020 and it was approved by the European Parliament in May last year. However, it appears no one thought to mention it to small businesses, who are going to be massively impacted by the new rules and are only now finding out about it. Many small businesses have already made the decision to stop selling to the EU or Northern Ireland because the extra costs required to comply with these regulations are not feasible.

This is just, unfortunately, another blow to small businesses in the steady decline of industry support since Brexit. As reported by LBC & BBC, one study (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) found that up to 20,000 British businesses have stopped exporting goods to the EU since Brexit – a drop of nearly 17%. Parliamentary research found that EU goods exports fell 11% between 2019 and 2023.

Below, BRICKS breaks down these regulations, the threats they possess to small businesses and independent sellers, and what you can do to ensure your small business or online shop is regulation-compliant.