Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
Now that we’ve left the EU, small businesses need to think about changes to how they label their products, including the UKCA.
We clear up what the UKCA mark is and what you need to do to keep compliant.
What is the UKCA mark?
The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark, pictured left, is a marking for products on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). It replaces the CE mark.
Do I need to use the UKCA marking?
If you’re selling goods within Great Britain – and they previously needed the CE mark – then yes. As well as goods that have previously needed the CE mark, it’s needed on aerosols which previously needed a ‘reverse epsilon’ marking, as shown below.
The UKCA came into effect on January 1 2021 once the Brexit transition period ended. However, an adjustment grace period has been allowed so you can still use the CE mark until January 1 2022 while you make adjustments. You should be looking to change to the UKCA mark as soon as possible though.
You only need to use the UKCA before January 1 2022 if all of the following apply:
Your product is for the market in