Resources

The Department for Health and Social Care has published four pieces of guidance to support understanding of initial measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026. These measures will commence on 29 October 2026 and 1 January 2027.

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Squishy toys guidance for consumers and parents; Asbestos in Consumer Products; Stay Safe This Summer campaign; Consumer awareness funding opportunity
Wider Updates: Publication of OPSS Delivery Report 2025-2026; Building LA capability training sessions and e-learning courses
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority

This email contains information on the following:
Product Safety: Consumer awareness funding opportunity; Launch of fireworks consultation; Stay Safe This Summer campaign
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Asbestos in Consumer Products; Fireworks and pyrotechnics in the UK consultation; Product Targeting Assessment 2 (PTA 2)
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions and e-learning courses

OPSS hosted an online briefing for Local Authorities across Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the current updates concering consumer products which have been recalled due to the presence of asbestos in sand. Since February's briefing there have been many updates which can be viewed in the recording below.

PTA2 aims to identify product subcategories that present most concerns in each sector and assessing their priority based on indicative risk (including physical, environmental and financial harm), public intolerance, and organisational readiness.

Product subcategories were triaged for assessment based on data from Product Safety Database (PSD), expert judgement of Sector Virtual Teams (SVTs), and other evidence including Product Fire Notifications, reactive allegations and case work.

Note: Definition of product subcategories can be found from GS1 Global Product Classification (brick level).

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: OPSS Important Update Asbestos in consumer products; Live Briefing – Asbestos in consumer products

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Published Advisory Note – Asbestos in Consumer Products; Live Briefing on Asbestos in Consumer Products; EU Batteries Regulations in Northern Ireland
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions and e-learning courses

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: OPSS Important Update Asbestos in consumer products; Urgent product recall; Consumer awareness funding opportunity
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions and e-learning courses

Intro to Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 Webinar presented by David Hunt, CTSI Lead Officer for Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapes.

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Urgent product recall; asbestos in consumer products; launch of toys safety regulations call for evidence
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking primary authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to note

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Asbestos in consumer products; Keeping up to date with OPSS’s GOV.UK webpage
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to Note

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Machinery regulations update; Advisory Note – Border Targeting Asbestos in Consumer Products; Asbestos in consumer products
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Keeping up to date with Regulators’ Companion content; Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to Note

An advisory note developed by OPSS in response to emerging intelligence and recent recalls involving asbestos contamination in products containing sand. The note provides advice on product assessment, outlines potentially relevant product categories, and a request for action where products are stopped or rejected.

Please note that further updates may be issued in due course; however, you should refer to the published data sources referenced within the note for the most up-to-date information.

This document has been produced by the Office for Product Safety and Standards Border Profiling Unit. It is classified as OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE as defined by the Government Security Classifications (April 2014) and may only be disseminated to the approved distribution list as detailed in the document. If dissemination is required outside this list, please contact the Border Profiling Unit on [email protected] for advice.

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Joint statement on asbestos in consumer products; Asbestos update; Launch of the OPSS Innovation Product Advice Centre
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to note

Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 Key Definitions and Enforcement Dates handout.

For England and Scotland.

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Squishy Toys; Asbestos update; Local Authority Roundtable – DBT Product Safety Consultation – Cooperation Duty with Relevant Authorities reminder
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to note

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety:
Asbestos update
Product Safety Testing Sampling Protocol 2026-27
Product Safety Database update
OPSS supporting Child Safety Week 2026
Local Authority Roundtable – DBT Product Safety Consultation – Cooperation Duty with Relevant Authorities reminder
Product Safety Framework Reform Consultations – reminder
Primary Authority:
Businesses seeking Primary Authority
Wider Updates:
Building LA Capability training sessions
Dates to note

The webpage includes the following guidance for Local Authorities for the 2026-27 Product Safety Sampling Protocol:

- 2026-27 Sampling Protocol Guidance
- Annex C - Purchase Costs Form 2026-27
- Annex D - Sampling Protocol Submission Form 2026-27
- Annex E - Sampling Protocol and PSD FAQs
- PSD Notification Timer Video
- PSD Notification User Guide

This email contains information on the following:

Product Safety: Asbestos in consumer products – Update; Local Authority Roundtable – DBT Product Safety Consultation – Cooperation Duty with Relevant Authorities; Launch of BSI public consultation
Legal Metrology: Calibration Tour
Primary Authority: Businesses seeking primary authority – new opportunities; Businesses seeking primary authority – previously mentioned
Wider Updates: Building LA capability training sessions
Dates to note

Please complete this form for the Calibration Tour.

All OPSS calibration service requests must be submitted through the LAU mailbox.