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UK SCPN cosmetics compliance overview

United Kingdom Cosmetics Compliance

UK Cosmetics RegulationSCPNPIFCPSRUK RP

Regulatory Framework

For Great Britain, cosmetics follow the retained version of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 as amended after EU exit, together with the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013. Before a cosmetic is first made available in England, Scotland, or Wales, the UK Responsible Person must submit a notification through the Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications service (SCPN). Northern Ireland follows the EU route separately.

Cosmetic Definition

Any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body, or with the teeth and oral mucosa, mainly to clean, perfume, change appearance, protect, keep in good condition, or correct body odours.

Responsible Person Requirements

Every cosmetic placed on the Great Britain market must have a Responsible Person established in the UK. That entity must keep the PIF in English, ensure English labelling, manage SCPN notification, support serious undesirable effect reporting, and substantiate marketing claims.

Compliance Process

  1. UK Responsible Person Onboarding
    1. Confirm the UK-established Responsible Person and align who holds the PIF, artwork approvals, and market surveillance contacts.
    2. Set up service access for SCPN and the working contact email used for regulatory correspondence.
  2. Pre-market Review
    1. Review formula restrictions, nanomaterials, CMR substances, and claim positioning for the GB market.
    2. Check English artwork, country-of-origin statements where relevant, batch coding, and UK RP details.
  3. SCPN Submission
    1. Prepare the product category, ingredient summary, urgent contact details, PIF location, product images, and packaging visuals.
    2. Submit the SCPN record before the product is placed on the GB market.
  4. PIF and Post-market Maintenance
    1. Keep the PIF current in English, including safety assessment, GMP support, test data, and claim evidence.
    2. Maintain an internal process for adverse event escalation, authority questions, and future label updates.

Great Britain uses SCPN, while Northern Ireland continues to follow the EU notification route and Responsible Person rules.

Deliverables

  • UK market route assessment and GB / NI scope check
  • Formula and artwork compliance review for Great Britain
  • SCPN submission package preparation and filing support
  • English PIF and CPSR documentation gap review
  • UK Responsible Person coordination service
  • Post-market vigilance workflow setup

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