Help with certifications for electronics

[UnreArcy]

Hi,

I would like to brand electric product, I got manufacturer from China, what certifications they should provide me to legally import and sell it in UK?

 

[WaveJumper]

Here's some interesting info put out by Hampshire County Council which may answer some of your questions, if in any doubt a chat with your local Trading Standards office would be a good idea:

Importing electrical goods

Guidance to traders on importing electrical goods.

www.hants.gov.uk

 

[Scubadog]

---

UKCA

 

[UnreArcy]

Oh yeah I have googled it and after 31 dec 2020 they changed CE to UKCA, does it mean really every time I would like to import from China, they have to supply me with special just for UK packages of products with UKCA mark on it?

Edit: I just read it's mandatory after 1st of july 2023

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Chinese companies are experts at giving false certification leaving you the buyer / seller at risk

 

[DontAsk]

Oh yeah I have googled it and after 31 dec 2020 they changed CE to UKCA, does it mean really every time I would like to import from China, they have to supply me with special just for UK packages of products with UKCA mark on it?

It's YOUR responsibility to ensure your imports meet all applicable local regulations. Do you trust your suppliers? Do you have the experience to know who you can trust and who is conning you?

 

[MOIC]

Don’t rely on your supplier to supply you with UKCA certificates. The testing companies have to be authorised, most are not and certainly the ones your supplier will use will not be. The best way to ensure your products are safe is to have a 3rd party have them tested with an authorised internationally recognised lab testing company, or have production samples sent to UK and test them there.

Use either SGS or Intertek.

 

[fisicx]

Hi,

I would like to brand electric product, I got manufacturer from China, what certifications they should provide me to legally import and sell it in UK?

They don’t have to provide anything. It’s up to you to get the product tested and certified. But that’s just the start, depending on the product there may be further requirements to be satisfied.

Consider also that the samples you send for testing may not be the same as the product you get delivered for sale. Which is why you should use an agent to manage the Chinese end of the pipeline.

 

[WaveJumper]

Many a trader in our shopping centres selling things like games consoles, hairdryers, hair straighteners and even mobile phones suddenly found they had all their stock confiscated by trading standards as they did not meet any of the UK regs (or counterfeit) so as others have pointed out, check double check and then check again.