Switching your UK or EU Responsible Person or VAT agent
By Drew Cooper, Founder & CEO · Last reviewed: 30 October 2026
You can switch your UK or EU Responsible Person, Food Business Operator or VAT agent at any point, and it typically takes us 2 to 4 weeks to take over. Most brands switch when a contract comes up for renewal or before their next print run, so they don't pay two providers for the same months or reprint packaging they don't need to.
How a switch works
- Check your current terms. Find your notice period and renewal date. They usually decide the best date to switch.
- We review what you already have. If a reputable provider has already reviewed your labels and documentation, we don't start from scratch. We check what is there and only go deeper where something is missing or out of date.
- Sign and update the records. We sign the agreement and update the records that name the business responsible for your products, such as cosmetic product notifications or medical device registrations.
- Move your VAT. Your VAT number stays the same. You authorise us with HMRC to act for you, and your returns carry on without a gap.
- Update your labels. Our name and address go on your packaging and marketplace listings, normally with your next print run.
What about stock already labelled with your old provider?
The business named on your label must be the one taking responsibility for that product. So either keep your outgoing provider in place until that stock has sold through, or over-sticker it with the new details. Many brands run both relationships for a few months while they sell through existing inventory, and we plan the switch around that.
Switching the UK and EU together
If you have one provider for the UK and another for the EU, switching is a chance to bring them under one contract. In the EU the role sits with an economic operator established there, so a pack sold in both markets needs a UK and an EU name and address. We cover both, so you deal with one team and one set of documents.
Questions we get asked
Will we pay twice? Only if the switch lands in the middle of a term you have already paid for. Timing it with your renewal avoids that.
Does our VAT number change? No. Your VAT number belongs to your business, not your agent.
Do we have to reprint our packaging? Not straight away. Over-stickers cover existing stock, and the new details go into your artwork at the next print run.
How long does it take? Typically 2 to 4 weeks from signing to taking over, depending on how quickly documents come across from your current provider.
How Lantara helps
We take over your UK and EU representation and your VAT, plan the label change around your stock, and keep your listings live through the switch. See UK Responsible Person, UK VAT registration and filings and EU compliance, or start with a free readiness check.