OpenLegislation

Consumer Protection Act 1987

1987 c. 43 · Enacted 15 May 1987 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 4 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 14 October 2024.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 11(7)(c)words repealedUtilities Act 2000 Sch. 8
Sch. 4 para. 1repealedFireworks Act 2003 Sch.
Pt. 2omittedProduct Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 s. 11(1)
Pt. 4omittedProduct Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 s. 11(1)
An Act to make provision with respect to the liability of persons for damage caused by defective products; to consolidate with amendments the Consumer Safety Act 1978 and the Consumer Safety (Amendment) Act 1986; to make provision with respect to the giving of price indications; to amend Part I of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and sections 31 and 80 of the Explosives Act 1875; to repeal the Trade Descriptions Act 1972 and the Fabrics (Misdescription) Act 1913; and for connected purposes.[15th May 1987] C1

C2E1I1C3Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C4C5

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act excluded (30.10.2005) by The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2475), reg. 44

C2

By the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1989, S.I. 1989/1275, reg. 15(1) it is provided that those Regulations shall be treated for all purposes as if they were safety regulations within the meaning of this Act

C3

Act extended (6.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/711, reg. 30

Act extended (24.2.1995) by S.I. 1995/204, reg. 16(1)

Act applied (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3142, reg. 18(6)

C4

Act continued (1.10.2015) by The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional Provisions, Savings and Consequential Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1630), art. 8(8)

C5

Act applied in part (with modifications) (20.5.2016) by The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/829), reg. 18 (with regs. 14(5), 20)

Commencement

I1

Act not in force at Royal Assent see s.50; Act fully in force 1.3.1989 (subject to reservations in S.I. 1988/2076).

Extent

E1

Act extends to Northern Ireland with specified exceptions, see s. 49

Contents

  1. Part I: Product Liability
  2. 1Purpose and construction of Part I.
  3. 2Liability for defective products.
  4. 3Meaning of “defect”.
  5. 4Defences.
  6. 5Damage giving rise to liability.
  7. 6Application of certain enactments etc.
  8. 7Prohibition on exclusions from liability.
  9. 8Power to modify Part I. Repealed
  10. 9Application of Part I to Crown.
  11. Part II: Consumer Safety
  12. 10The general safety requirement. Repealed
  13. 11Safety regulations.
  14. 12Offences against the safety regulations.
  15. 13Prohibition notices and notices to warn.
  16. 14Suspension notices.
  17. 15Appeals against suspension notices.
  18. 16Forfeiture: England and Wales and Northern Ireland.
  19. 17Forfeiture: Scotland.
  20. 18Power to obtain information.
  21. 19Interpretation of Part II.
  22. Part III: Misleading Price Indications
  23. 20Offence of giving misleading indication. Repealed
  24. 21Meaning of “misleading”. Repealed
  25. 22Application to provision of services and facilities. Repealed
  26. 23Application to provision of accommodation etc. Repealed
  27. 24Defences. Repealed
  28. 25Code of practice. Repealed
  29. 26Power to make regulations. Repealed
  30. Part IV: Enforcement of Parts II and III
  31. 27Enforcement.
  32. 28Test purchases. Repealed
  33. 29Powers of search etc.
  34. 30Provisions supplemental to s. 29.
  35. 31Power of customs officer to detain goods.
  36. 32Obstruction of authorised officer.
  37. 33Appeals against detention of goods.
  38. 34Compensation for seizure and detention.
  39. 35Recovery of expenses of enforcement.
  40. Part V: Miscellaneous and Supplemental
  41. 36Amendments of Part I of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
  42. 37Power of Commissioners for Revenue and Customs to disclose information
  43. 38Restrictions on disclosure of information. Repealed
  44. 39Defence of due diligence.
  45. 40Liability of persons other than principal offender.
  46. 41Civil proceedings.
  47. 42Reports etc.
  48. 43Financial provisions.
  49. 44Service of documents etc.
  50. 45Interpretation.
  51. 46Meaning of “supply”
  52. 47Savings for certain privileges.
  53. 48Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.
  54. 49Northern Ireland.
  55. 50Short title: commencement and transitional provision.
  56. Schedule 1: Limitation of Actions under Part I
  57. Part I: England and Wales
  58. 1Paragraph 1
  59. 2Paragraph 2
  60. 3Paragraph 3
  61. 4Paragraph 4
  62. 5Paragraph 5
  63. 6Paragraph 6
  64. Part II: Scotland
  65. 7Paragraph 7
  66. 8Paragraph 8
  67. 9Paragraph 9
  68. 10Paragraph 10
  69. 11Paragraph 11
  70. 12Paragraph 12
  71. Schedule 2: Prohibition Notices and Notices to Warn
  72. Part I: Prohibition Notices
  73. 1Paragraph 1
  74. 2Paragraph 2
  75. 3Paragraph 3
  76. 4Paragraph 4
  77. 5Paragraph 5
  78. Part II: Notices to Warn
  79. 6Paragraph 6
  80. 7Paragraph 7
  81. 8Paragraph 8
  82. 9Paragraph 9
  83. Part III: General
  84. 10Paragraph 10
  85. 11Paragraph 11
  86. Schedule 3: Amendments of Part I of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
  87. 1Paragraph 1
  88. 2Paragraph 2
  89. 3Paragraph 3
  90. 4Paragraph 4
  91. 5Paragraph 5
  92. 6Paragraph 6
  93. 7Paragraph 7
  94. Schedule 4: Minor and Consequential Amendments
  95. The Explosives Act 1875
  96. 1Paragraph 1
  97. The Trade Descriptions Act 1968
  98. 2Paragraph 2
  99. The Fair Trading Act 1973
  100. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  101. The Consumer Credit Act 1974
  102. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  103. The Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977
  104. 5Paragraph 5
  105. The Estate Agents Act 1979
  106. 6Paragraph 6
  107. The Competition Act 1980
  108. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  109. The Employment Act 1982
  110. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  111. The Telecommunications Act 1984
  112. 9Paragraph 9
  113. The Airports Act 1986
  114. 10Paragraph 10
  115. The Gas Act 1986
  116. 11Paragraph 11
  117. The Insolvency Act 1986
  118. 12Paragraph 12
  119. The Motor Cycle Noise Act 1987
  120. 13Paragraph 13
  121. Schedule 5: Repeals