The British Beauty Council has joined a coalition of UK consumer groups, businesses and public safety organisations to press the government on tougher regulations for digital marketplaces
Its call for increased protection against the sale of unsafe beauty and cosmetics products online follows the introduction of the Product Regulation and Metrology (PRAM) Act earlier in 2025.
This legislation allows the Secretary of State to set and update product safety regulations for products used or marketed in the UK, including products through an online marketplace. These updates are made by secondary legislation.
In an open letter to Justin Madders MP, the Minister for Employment Rights, Competition, and Markets, the Council has urged policy makers to introduce secondary legislation to improve product safety and clean up online platforms.
It sets out the importance of holding platforms more accountable for dangerous items sold through their sites as a key part of this. The coalition has also called for regulators to have the power to issue heavy fines for non-compliance.
The Council and co-signatories have issued this letter as they not only want to hold online marketplaces accountable but they also want to create a level playing field between ecommerce and bricks and mortar retailers. Currently, those selling in-real-life face stricter rules and regulations when it comes to product safety.
The coalition’s proposals are pertinent for the beauty industry as it grapples with the proliferation of counterfeit ‘dupes’. In July, a Which? investigation found at least two thirds of cosmetics it bought from online marketplaces may be counterfeit, highlighting the scale of the issue.
Current provisions under PRAM, and previous legislations, lack the ability to adequately address this issue. This has led to a flood of counterfeit or unregulated cosmetics into the online market – these may contain harmful ingredients, fail to meet safety standards, or lack proper labelling.
Not only does this pose a threat to beauty consumers, there is also risk of it causing reputational damage to the sector. What’s more, by introducing proactive second legislation the government will protect the intellectual property of brands that have spent years developing products.
Victoria Brownlie MBE, Chief of Policy and Sustainability commented: ‘We have raised this issue with the Government on a number of occasions; however, we welcome being part of a coalition of cross-industry organisations as we know this is not a problem that only affects beauty. Our joint call will undoubtedly help to amplify the message and show the Department for Business & Trade why this is an issue that must be addressed.’
You can read the full letter here.
