Business Solutions
E-commerce Solutions
Selling cosmetics online does not lower the regulatory bar. A direct-to-consumer site or a marketplace listing needs the same safety report, notification and Responsible Person as any shelf.
A common assumption is that selling online, from a home studio or a small site, sits outside the rules that apply to retail. It does not. Placing a cosmetic on the market means the same obligations whether it sells through a shop or a web page.
The same requirements, online
Every product offered for sale needs a Cosmetic Product Safety Report, notification through the CPNP or the SCPN, a Responsible Person, and compliant labelling and claims. Online claims are held to the same standard as packaging under the claims rules, and the Responsible Person’s details still have to be available to the consumer. For distance selling the regulation is explicit that the ingredient list and the mandatory information must be accessible to the buyer before the purchase is made, not only on the pack that arrives afterwards, so the product page has to carry what the label carries.
Marketplaces are tightening
Selling through marketplaces adds a layer. Platforms such as Amazon now require proof of a CPSR and Responsible Person before a cosmetic can be listed, and will remove listings that cannot produce it. We prepare the compliance set that a direct-to-consumer brand or a marketplace seller needs, and the documentation in the form the platforms ask for.
Relevant services
CPSR
From £70 · 2 to 3 days
The Cosmetic Product Safety Report is the safety assessment required under Article 10 and Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 before a cosmetic product may be placed on the UK or EU market. Prepared and signed by a qualified safety assessor.
Learn more →Responsible Person
From £149 · per product, per year
Oxford Biosciences acts as your Responsible Person in the UK and the EU under a single quality management system, holding the regulatory obligation: PIF maintenance, SCPN and CPNP notification, labelling oversight, and cosmetovigilance.
Learn more →Labelling
From £195 · from receipt of artwork
Independent review of packaging artwork against Article 19, and of product claims against the six Common Criteria of Regulation (EU) 655/2013. Label review £195; per-claim review from £125; substantiation dossiers from £1,495.
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
What do I need to sell cosmetics on Amazon UK?
Selling cosmetics on Amazon UK carries the same legal requirements as any Great Britain sale: a valid Cosmetic Product Safety Report, a UK-established Responsible Person, SCPN notification to the Office for Product Safety and Standards, and compliant labelling, including the UK Responsible Person's details on the label since 1 January 2026. Marketplaces increasingly ask sellers to evidence this documentation. Oxford Biosciences provides the CPSR, acts as your UK Responsible Person, and manages the SCPN notification so your listings meet the requirement.
What is a Responsible Person?
Every cosmetic product placed on the EU or UK market must have a Responsible Person established within that jurisdiction. Under Articles 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, the Responsible Person is the legal entity that holds the regulatory obligation for the product: it maintains the Product Information File, makes the CPNP or SCPN notification, oversees labelling, and handles cosmetovigilance and contact with the competent authority. It is not simply a postal address. Oxford Biosciences acts as Responsible Person in both the UK and the EU under a single quality management system.
How are cosmetic claims regulated?
Cosmetic claims are regulated as statements of fact, not marketing copy. Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 establish six Common Criteria that every claim must meet: legal compliance, truthfulness, evidential support, honesty, fairness, and informed decision-making. Evidence must exist before a claim is published and remain on file. Oxford Biosciences reviews claims per claim (£125, minimum five) and prepares formal Claims Substantiation Dossiers suitable for the Product Information File and for production to a competent authority or the Advertising Standards Authority.