In the UK, stringent safety standards are placed on products for human use and consumption, but outside of some food and medicines, there are no specific safety regulations on products intended for pets, such as chew toys, pet bowls, rope toys or other such goods. They are however covered under some more general regulations for certain goods and products.
This blog post will explore some of these regulations and how they can be used to inform the design of safe products for pets.
The GPSR
Pet products could be covered under general consumer product safeguards such as the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) which implements the EU’s General Product Safety Directive into UK law. The GPSR in the UK provides a safety framework that covers all produced consumer products, which in this case would cover products such as pet clothing, bowls, enclosures, and blankets among many other products. The GPSR is a catch all safety requirement for products where specific regulations do not exist or where existing regulations do not address particular risks. Although the GPSR mitigates obviously dangerous and hazardous products, it mainly focuses on risk prevention through included instructional material and adequate safety measures. This is from the perspective of a human user however, not that of a pet, so these regulations may fall short in fully protecting consumer’s pets from products that could pose an unforeseen danger to them.
Referring to Other Standards
Where specific standards may not exist for a particular product, a product can still refer to standards that cover similar use case products. For example, BS EN 1930, which details safety requirements and testing methods for child safety barriers. Although these barriers are designed to keep children from certain areas, they can also fulfil the same purpose with dogs. Manufacturers could also have their pet products tested against BS EN 71 for example, which covers the safety of toys and includes tests concerning mechanical properties, substance restrictions and flammability requirements.
Working with a single cohesive multi-discipline product design team that can cover all core design requirements means the development costs and time frame are also likely to be reduced thanks to the efficiencies and internal project management.
Standards for Electronic Pet Products
As advancements in technology continue to move forward, and with a large demand for high quality pet care in recent years, more and more pet products contain electronics and batteries. Electronic products are subject to various standards and directives in the UK, such as The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations. This is the UK’s equivalent of the European Low Voltage Directive. If your product falls under these regulations, it is legally required to meet the Principal Elements of the Safety Objectives for Electrical Equipment. A UKCA mark (The equivalent of Europe’s CE mark) will also have to be affixed to the product once complying with the regulations in order to be sold within the United Kingdom.
Conclusion
To conclude, due to the lack of specific regulations regarding pet products in the UK, it’s important to select the right product design company to help bring your idea to life. A good design company will keep pet safety a number one priority for a pet-loving client, making decisions based on this throughout the development of a project. Material choices, mechanical properties and conscientious design solutions should be taken into consideration when designing for our furry friends.
Looking to develop your pet product design idea?
Idea Reality's award-winning design team has many years of experience designing products for pets and their wellbeing. If you have an invention idea and are looking for someone to help you take it to market, we can help! Get in touch with our team.
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