Claims and returns question
isitbannedintheuk.co.uk · Answer card
An overseas seller doesn't get an exemption from the rules of the market it supplies. Check Great Britain and Northern Ireland separately. In Great Britain, a cosmetic needs a responsible person established in the UK and must meet the GB rules on banned and restricted ingredients. In Northern Ireland, the responsible person must be in Northern Ireland or the EU, not Great Britain, and the EU rules apply. These duties fall on businesses, not on shoppers.
England, Wales, Scotland
UK responsible person neededA cosmetic can't be placed on the market without a responsible person established in the UK. For imports, the importer is the responsible person, unless it designates someone else by written mandate and that person accepts in writing. A responsible person who has reason to believe a product doesn't comply must bring it into conformity, or withdraw or recall it, as appropriate.
Follows EU cosmetics rules
NI or EU responsible person neededThe EU Cosmetics Regulation applies. The responsible person must be established in Northern Ireland or the EU, and can't be based in Great Britain. District councils enforce the rules.
Great Britain, proposed
Proposals onlyA consultation that closed on 23 June 2026 proposed that online marketplaces must act with due care to prevent, identify and remove dangerous products, verify sellers' contact details and act against repeat offenders. As of 2 November 2026, GOV.UK showed no published outcome, and we found no regulations creating these duties on legislation.gov.uk, though newly made laws can take time to appear there.
By nation
Where to reportEngland and Wales: the Citizens Advice consumer helpline. Scotland: the Advice Direct Scotland consumer helpline. Northern Ireland: your district council.
A cosmetic product may not be placed on the market unless there is a responsible person established in the United Kingdom in respect of the cosmetic product.
The non-intended presence of a small quantity of a prohibited substance, stemming from impurities of natural or synthetic ingredients, the manufacturing process, storage, migration from packaging, which is technically unavoidable in good manufacturing practice, shall be permitted provided that such presence is in conformity with Article 3.
Whether a particular site or seller is breaking the rules. We don't name sellers unless a regulator has published a finding. This page also doesn't cover any rules on shoppers importing for personal use.
isitbannedintheuk.co.uk/rules/overseas-sellers/ · Last checked 2 November 2026
General information from official sources, checked on the date shown. Not legal or medical advice. © The Contract Studio UK Ltd
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