Selling cosmetics in the UK: a checklist for international brands
By Drew Cooper, Founder & Director · Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
To sell a cosmetic product in Great Britain you need four things in place before the first sale: a UK Responsible Person with a UK address, a product information file including a cosmetic product safety report, a notification to OPSS, and a label that meets UK rules. This is the checklist we work through with international brands. It covers Great Britain; Northern Ireland follows EU cosmetics rules.
1. Appoint a UK Responsible Person
Every cosmetic product sold in Great Britain must have a Responsible Person with a UK address. Mail forwarding addresses and PO boxes do not count. If your business is outside the UK, this has to be a UK-based person or company you appoint. The Responsible Person is legally accountable for the product's compliance and is the contact for Trading Standards and OPSS.
2. Have a product information file and safety report
The Responsible Person must hold a product information file (PIF) for each product and make it available to regulators. The core of it is the cosmetic product safety report, prepared by a qualified safety assessor. If you already have an EU PIF, much of it can be reused, but it needs reviewing for UK-specific details such as the Responsible Person and labelling.
3. Notify the product to OPSS before sale
The Responsible Person must notify each product through the government's Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications service before it is made available. Products containing nanomaterials can need an additional notification in advance.
4. Check the label
| Label element | What to check |
|---|---|
| Responsible Person | Name and UK address of the Responsible Person. |
| Country of origin | Required for products imported into Great Britain. |
| Nominal content | Weight or volume at the time of packaging. |
| Durability | A best-before date for products lasting 30 months or less, or the period-after-opening symbol for longer-lasting products. |
| Precautions | Any warnings required for the ingredients used. |
| Batch number | Batch or reference number so the product can be traced. |
| Function | What the product is for, unless it is clear from how it is presented. |
| Ingredients | Full ingredient list using standard ingredient (INCI) names. |
Label text must be in English. Claims also need care: a claim that a product treats or prevents a medical condition can move it out of cosmetics law altogether.
Common problems we see
- An EU Responsible Person on the label but no UK one.
- Products listed on Amazon UK before the OPSS notification was made.
- US-style labels with no batch number, no Responsible Person and imperial-only quantities.
- Claims such as "treats acne" or "heals eczema" on a product sold as a cosmetic.
How Lantara helps
We act as your UK Responsible Person, review your product information file and labels, make the OPSS notifications, and stay in place as your regulatory contact. See UK Responsible Person services, or start with a free readiness check.