“Know Your Rights: Consumer Protection for Parents and Families” is a collaborative post. Shopping for a baby or a young child brings an extra layer of worry that does not exist with most other purchases – a product is not just expected to work, it needs to be genuinely safe. UK law recognises this difference, and the protections around children’s products are noticeably stricter than for general consumer goods. The Legal Framework Behind Product Safety Two pieces of legislation form the backbone of product safety in the UK: the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. The 1987 Act establishes a strict liability regime for damage caused by defective products, meaning a parent does not need to prove the manufacturer was negligent – only that the product was defective and caused the harm. What the Safety Regulations Actually Cover The General Product Safety Regulations apply specifically…
