Regulatory Expertise
UK Cosmetic Compliance
Placing cosmetics on the Great Britain market: the assimilated UK Cosmetics Regulation, OPSS enforcement, a GB-based Responsible Person and SCPN notification. Cosmetics are not UKCA-marked.
Selling a cosmetic in Great Britain means meeting the UK Cosmetics Regulation, the version of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 brought into UK law by Schedule 34 of the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, and enforced by the Office for Product Safety and Standards under the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013.
What it requires
A product needs a Cosmetic Product Safety Report, a Product Information File in English, a Responsible Person established in the United Kingdom, and notification through the SCPN portal (Submit Cosmetic Product Notification), the GB equivalent of the EU’s CPNP. The UK RP’s name and UK address must appear on the label. A post-Brexit easement that allowed an EU RP address to stand in has been winding down, so on-pack UK RP details are now expected rather than optional. Northern Ireland aligns with the EU regime, so a product sold there is treated as an EU product.
A clarification worth making
Cosmetics do not carry UKCA marking. UKCA and CE marks belong to other product families such as electronics, toys and medical devices. A cosmetic demonstrates compliance through its safety report, notification and Responsible Person, not a conformity mark.
What is changing in 2026
The 2026 amendment to the GB regime (SI 2026/23) bans the UV filter 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, lowers the threshold at which formaldehyde-releasing substances must be labelled, and restricts a further set of CMR-classified substances, with the main provisions applying from 15 July 2026 and the CMR changes from 15 August. We keep assessments current against these dates.
Relevant services
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 →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 →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 are the UK Responsible Person requirements?
To sell a cosmetic product in Great Britain you must appoint a UK Responsible Person established in the UK, who takes legal responsibility for compliance, holds the Product Information File, and notifies the product through the SCPN service to the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Since 1 January 2026 the UK Responsible Person's name and address must appear on the product label for goods placed on the GB market. Oxford Biosciences acts as UK Responsible Person through Oxford Biosciences Ltd, and as EU Responsible Person through our Irish-registered entity, under a single quality management system.
What is SCPN?
SCPN, the Submit Cosmetic Product Notification service, is the UK government system through which cosmetic products are notified before being placed on the Great Britain market. It replaced reliance on the EU's CPNP for GB after Brexit. Notification is made by the UK Responsible Person and is overseen by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). A product should be notified only once it has been assessed as safe. Oxford Biosciences manages SCPN notification as part of its UK Responsible Person service.
How much does a UK CPSR cost?
A UK Cosmetic Product Safety Report from Oxford Biosciences is £220 for a single product of up to 20 ingredients, the same report that serves the EU market under Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. A single-ingredient product is £70, variants are £40, and batch pricing applies from £875 for five products. Once the full documentation set is supplied, turnaround is typically 2 to 3 working days, with 48-hour and 24-hour expedited service available. All fees are exclusive of VAT.
Do cosmetics need a CE or UKCA mark?
No. Cosmetics do not carry CE or UKCA marks. Those conformity marks apply to other product groups such as electronics, toys, machinery, personal protective equipment and medical devices, not to cosmetics. In the EU a cosmetic demonstrates compliance through a Cosmetic Product Safety Report under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, notification on the CPNP, and an EU Responsible Person. In Great Britain it is the same evidence under the UK Cosmetics Regulation, notified through the SCPN with a UK-based Responsible Person. If a supplier or manufacturer tells you a cosmetic needs a CE or UKCA mark, they have confused cosmetics with a different product category. Oxford Biosciences prepares the safety report, notification and Responsible Person designation that actually establish cosmetic compliance.