CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

UK: Publication of statutory guidance on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations

MAY 2025 - HARDLINES, SOFTLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

On April 30, 2025, OPSS (Office for Product Safety & Standard) updated that the statutory instrument (SI)¹ to update the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (FFRs) has been laid in the UK Parliament. The changes will come into force on 30 October 2025.

As announced in OPSS’s earlier policy paper², published on 22 January, the Government of the UK has taken immediate action to amend the FFRs to:

• remove certain baby and young children’s products from scope of the regulations
• remove the requirement for manufacturers to affix a display label to new products 
• extend the time frame for instituting legal proceedings from 6 – 12 months

Businesses with existing stock of products being removed from scope, or with a display label attached, and that may not have sold all those products by October 30, 2025, will be allowed to continue selling these items indefinitely. This is permitted as long as that labelling is an accurate representation of compliance.

Statutory guidance³ for businesses, explaining the impact of these changes, is available on gov.uk.

[1] Statutory instrument (SI)

[2] Policy paper

[3] Statutory guidance

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