Before taking a product to market, it’s important to make sure that it meets legal requirements. Such legal requirements are mostly there to provide safety to customers, as well as making sure that they are getting exactly what is advertised.
Different countries have their own product laws. In the UK, a number of acts have been brought in over the years to provide quality control including the Sale of Goods Act 1979, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the General Product Safety Regulations 2006. Just how do you make sure that your product complies with these laws? Below are a few tips…
Research standards online
You can find lots of information on product standards online. This includes various simplified guides to specific products such as this guide to alcoholic beverages, which can prevent you having to trawl through pages of legal documentation. By looking into this information during the design stage, you can reduce the need for tweaks later on.
Know when to outsource manufacturers
Some products may legally have to be manufactured in a certain way or may need to integrate certain complex features. If you do not feel comfortable carrying out this manufacture yourself, don’t be afraid to outsource a manufacturing service. Such services will be able to make sure that your product is manufactured under the right conditions and with the right tools, which could be a lot cheaper than building your own factory.
Carry out conformity assessments
Many products have to legally go through a conformity assessment before they can be brought to market. This usually has to be carried out by a niche third-party company. For example, there are economic operator services that specialise purely in medical devices. If your product passes these assessments, you will get certification that then allows you to sell your product. If your product fails this assessment, you will have to redesign it in order to make sure that it conforms.
Label product packaging appropriately
The labelling on your packaging is very important. It could be essential to include certain symbols or certain information worded in a specific way. For example, when labelling a food product, it could be compulsory to tell consumers information such as the country of origin, the ‘used by’ date, the list of ingredients, allergy warnings, storage instructions, net quantity information and instructions for cooking. Work with a packaging design company to make sure that this information is clear.
Avoid false advertising
As for general marketing of your product, it is important that you are completely honest about what your product can do and how it is made. If your product is found guilty of false advertising, it could be pulled from shelves and you could face heavy fines. When working with marketers, be clear with them about what claims they can make.
Keep on top of changing laws
Product laws are continuously changing, so it’s important to keep up to date with current laws. By tweaking your products every few years and carrying out new assessments, you can make sure that they are constantly compliant with new laws.
Disclosure: collaborative post
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