Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025

The Act would give the Secretary of State power to regulate how products are marketed, weighed or measured in the UK—covering production, packaging, labelling and consumer information—and to set rules on units and quantities (including some alignment with EU law for environmental aims). It creates an enforcement framework with inspectors, penalties, recalls and civil sanctions, enables information sharing and cost-recovery, and updates existing consumer protection and weights-and-measures laws. It also preserves a pint exemption for draught beer or cider and for milk in returnable containers, lists certain excluded products, and requires regulations to go through Parliament with appropriate consent from devolved administrations.

The Scottish Parliament has agreed a Legislative Consent Motion allowing the UK Parliament to consider provisions of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill that fall within Scottish competence. The motion was approved by division on 26 June 2025, with 80 for (including one proxy vote), 0 against and 34 abstentions (including one proxy vote).

The Northern Ireland Assembly has approved a Legislative Consent Motion for the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, allowing the extension to Northern Ireland of those provisions that relate to regulations-making within devolved competence (as amended in Committee on 13 May 2025). The Assembly notes the Bill’s passage in the Lords and supports the provisions that fall within its competence.

The Commons amendments insert a new clause requiring the consent of Scottish Ministers, Welsh Ministers, or the relevant Northern Ireland department for regulations under the bill that touch devolved powers, unless the provision is merely incidental to something outside devolved competence. They define what counts as devolved competence and, in Welsh law, add the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 as a reserved authority. They also make minor technical changes to the bill (adjusting a clause reference and removing subsection (2)).

The Commons amendments to the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill consist of three measures, tabled by the Minister. Amendment 1 fixes a typographical error by removing clause 9 from the application of clause 12(4)(g); Amendment 2 removes a Lords’ privilege amendment by deleting clause 15(2); and Amendment 3 introduces a new clause requiring the Secretary of State to obtain the relevant devolved government’s consent before regulations that involve devolved competence. The Explanatory Notes describe these as technical changes and do not form part of the Bill.