Exporting Candles to the UK: GPSR 2005, GB CLP and Candle Safety Labels

Candles sold in Great Britain must meet the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and, where the fragrance makes the candle a hazardous mixture, the GB CLP Regulation. Northern Ireland follows different rules: it applies the EU GPSR and EU CLP. Most UK buyers also expect the candle safety label set out in BS EN 15494.

This guide is for UK brands, retailers and hotel groups planning private label candles, reed diffusers or room sprays made in India. It reflects our understanding at the time of writing. It is not legal advice, so check the current text with your importer or a compliance adviser before you finalise labels.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland are now different

Since Brexit, the UK has two product safety regimes for consumer goods:

Area	General safety law	Chemical labelling
Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales)	General Product Safety Regulations 2005	GB CLP Regulation
Northern Ireland	EU GPSR, Regulation (EU) 2023/988	EU CLP Regulation

The government's guidance says that, in Northern Ireland, the 2005 Regulations were superseded by the EU GPSR on 13 December 2024. Products placed on the Northern Ireland market in line with the rules there can generally also be sold in the rest of the UK. If you plan to sell across the UK and the EU, our EU candle export guide covers the EU side.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in Great Britain

The general safety requirement

Producers and distributors must place only safe products on the GB market. For candles, the main risks are fire, unexpected flame behaviour and sooting. The usual way to show safety is to work to the recognised standards for candles: BS EN 15493 for fire safety, BS EN 15426 for sooting and BS EN 15494 for safety labels.

Who counts as the producer

When a candle is made outside the UK, the duties of a producer often fall on the UK importer or on the brand owner whose name appears on the product. This matters for private label, because the brand owner carries responsibility for the product it sells under its own name. Agree with your importer who will hold the technical file.

Identification and traceability

The 2005 Regulations expect producers to give consumers the information they need to assess risk, and to indicate the producer's identity and details and a product reference or batch, where this is reasonable. In practice, buyers ask for the UK company name and address and a batch code on every candle or its packaging.

Online marketplaces

Many UK marketplaces now ask sellers for product safety information, warnings and responsible party details as part of the listing. Plan this data alongside the physical label so that both match.

The candle safety label

BS EN 15494 is the UK adoption of the European candle label standard. The current edition dates from 2019. It uses a general warning sign based on ISO 7010-W001 with symbols or texts covering core safety points, such as never leaving a burning candle unattended, keeping it away from flammable materials and keeping it out of reach of children and pets. Additional symbols apply to certain candle types, such as container candles. All label elements need clear contrast with their background.

For the GB market, the label must be in English. If the same product also goes to EU markets, extra languages may be needed.

GB CLP: when a candle needs hazard labelling

GB CLP is the retained version of the EU CLP Regulation, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). A scented candle is usually treated as a mixture. If the fragrance contains components classified as skin sensitisers or as hazardous to the aquatic environment, the finished candle may need CLP labelling, depending on the concentration.

Typical CLP label elements

• The name, address and telephone number of the GB supplier.
• The product identifier and, where required, the names of hazardous components.
• Hazard pictograms, a signal word, and hazard and precautionary statements.
• Supplemental statements, for example naming a sensitising substance present below its classification threshold.

GB and EU classifications can differ

GB CLP uses the GB mandatory classification and labelling list, which can diverge from the EU list over time. The EU has also revised its CLP Regulation, while GB has not adopted those changes. As a result, one fragrance can lead to different labels for each market. For each scent in your range, the final classification should be checked separately for GB and EU.

Fragrance choice and fragrance load both affect the outcome. Our guide on wicks, fragrance load and IFRA explains how these decisions connect.

Reed diffusers and room sprays in the UK

Reed diffusers and room sprays are liquid products, so CLP labelling often applies, and some classifications bring child-resistant closure or tactile warning requirements. Room sprays in aerosol form also fall under separate aerosol rules. Pump sprays and diffusers are usually simpler to develop for export. These are options we discuss with you, along with base and bottle choices from our diffuser oils and bottle ranges.

Planning the label layout

A UK-ready container candle usually shows information in three places:

1. Front label. Brand, product name and fragrance name.
2. Base label. BS EN 15494 safety symbols, CLP elements, batch code and the UK supplier's details.
3. Outer carton. Repeat warnings, instructions for first burn and trimming the wick, and barcode.

For hotel programmes, where candles may be placed in rooms or public areas, buyers often want a discreet base label plus a fuller instruction card. We can plan this around your design system during packaging development.

Checklist for UK buyers

• Decide whether you are selling into Great Britain, Northern Ireland or both.
• Confirm who acts as producer or importer and whose details go on the label.
• Share fragrance documentation so each candle can be classified under GB CLP, and under EU CLP if needed.
• Agree a burn test plan against BS EN 15493 and BS EN 15426 with an accredited laboratory.
• Design the BS EN 15494 label and CLP elements as one artwork.
• Prepare listing data for online marketplaces.
• Watch for secondary legislation under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

What may change

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 received Royal Assent in July 2025. It gives the government powers to update product safety law by secondary regulations, including rules for online marketplaces. At the time of writing, the 2005 Regulations remain in force in Great Britain. Check the Office for Product Safety and Standards guidance on gov.uk before each new production run.

How Harrods Health supports UK candle programmes

Harrods Health develops private label candles, reed diffusers and room sprays to your brief in Ambala, India. We work with you on scent, vessel, label layout and export paperwork, and we coordinate with your UK importer on the compliance file. Our facility certifications are listed on our quality and certifications page. These cover the facility and are not candle-specific certifications. Hotel buyers can also see our hotel amenities range.

Start with our private label candle manufacturer page, read about shipping candles for export, and contact our team when you have a brief.

Official sources

• General Product Safety Regulations 2005: guidance (gov.uk)
• GB CLP Regulation (HSE)
• Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 (legislation.gov.uk)

Frequently asked questions

Does the EU GPSR apply to candles sold in the UK?

Not in Great Britain. At the time of writing, England, Scotland and Wales still apply the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Northern Ireland applies the EU GPSR, Regulation (EU) 2023/988, from 13 December 2024.

Do I need a UK-based supplier on a GB CLP label?

GB CLP places duties on GB-based suppliers, so the label normally shows the name, address and telephone number of the GB importer or distributor. Confirm the exact arrangement with your importer, especially if you use one label for both GB and EU markets.

Can I use the same label for the UK and the EU?

Sometimes, but not always. Classifications can differ between GB CLP and EU CLP, and the supplier details differ. A combined label is possible if both sets of requirements are met, which needs checking for each fragrance.

Is BS EN 15494 required for candles in Great Britain?

It is a standard, not a law. It is the common way to present candle safety warnings and to show the product meets the general safety requirement. Most UK retailers expect to see it.

Will the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 change the rules?

It may. The Act gives ministers powers to make new product regulations by secondary legislation. At the time of writing, the 2005 Regulations still apply in Great Britain, so monitor gov.uk for updates.