The Government has launched two consultations on construction product safety: a new General Safety Requirement for unregulated products and the Construction Products Reform White Paper. The reforms seek to close the regulatory gaps exposed by Grenfell.
Published: 11 March 2026
Authors: Rubina Zaidi
What matters
The Government is consulting on a new General Safety Requirement (GSR) for all currently unregulated construction products, alongside a consultation on an extensive White Paper proposing transformation of the construction products regime, as highlighted in our previous article on the proposed reforms to construction product regulation- Building safety: Time for radical clarity. Both consultations aim to address systemic failures exposed by Grenfell and drive cultural, regulatory and institutional change across the construction product lifecycle.
What matters next
Both consultations close on 20 May 2026 at 11:59pm. Views are sought from all stakeholders be they manufacturers, importers, distributors, designers, contractors, specifiers, developers, building control professionals and residents. The reforms will shape the future of regulation of construction products in the UK, with new regulations to be introduced by the end of 2026 and implementation expected from late 2027 onwards. While the consultation is open to everyone, such stakeholders should consider engaging with the consultation, to ensure their views are considered as these far-reaching reforms progress.
Importance of the consultations
The independent reviews and Inquiry into Grenfell revealed fundamental weaknesses in the construction products system including inadequate safety standards, fragmented regulation, limited enforcement, misleading marketing and insufficient accountability across the supply chain. While steps have been taken to address these concerns, such as the Building Safety Act 2022, the creation of the Building Safety Regulator, and bans on combustible cladding, large parts of the construction products market remain unregulated, with only products covered by designated standards or technical assessments currently falling within the UK’s construction products regulatory regime.
The consultations address these gaps, promoting a system designed to prevent unsafe products from entering the supply chain.
The GSR consultation for construction products
The proposed risk-based GSR, which will operate alongside UK construction products regulation, introduces an overarching legal duty to ensure that any construction product placed on the UK market is safe, under its intended and reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. It applies to all products not regulated by designated standards or technical assessments, so that the significant numbers of products currently unregulated will be regulated.
The GSR addresses the inability of regulators to intervene when unregulated products pose known risks and aims to ensure consistent standards across all construction products.
Key features of the GSR proposals
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Manufacturers must identify and assess product safety risks, considering intended use, foreseeable misuse, installation conditions and interactions with other products. Risk mitigation measures must be proportionate and evidence‑based.
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Manufacturers must provide comprehensive safety information, including:
- intended use and technical specifications
- installation, assembly and maintenance instructions
- safety warnings
- conditions where a product should not be used
- any voluntary standards or third‑party certifications obtained
Information must be accessible, accurate, current and not misleading.
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Manufacturers and importers must keep risk assessments, product documentation, and safety incident records for 10 years.
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Products must carry unique identifiers and manufacturer/importer details. Digital identifiers (e.g., QR codes) are encouraged to support traceability and recall processes.
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Importers and distributors, including builders’ merchants, must verify compliance, maintain records, and have controls in place to ensure unsafe products do not enter the market.
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All those subject to obligations in relation to the manufacture of products, making them available on the market must ensure that:
- construction products are safely stored and transported
- construction products are monitored
- safety issues are identified and addressed
- complaints are investigated and recorded
- corrective actions (amending information or enabling the withdrawal of unsafe products from the market) are undertaken.
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The National Regulator for Construction Products will gain enhanced enforcement and sanctionspowers:
- market surveillance
- investigatory powers (entry, seizure, testing)
- suspension, prohibition and recall notices
- civil penalties
- criminal sanctions for serious breaches
- power to recover enforcement costs
An appeals process will be available.
- Used products for re‑use in construction will be regulated unless clearly marketed as requiring repair or reconditioning.
The Construction Products Reform White Paper consultation
The White Paper sets out the Government’s long‑term vision for a safer, more transparent and accountable construction products system. It is wider in scope than the GSR, covering:
- future standards and regulation
- digital product information
- testing, certification and accreditation
- oversight of conformity assessment bodies
- the future role of regulators
- environmental and sustainability considerations
- competence across the product supply chain
Key Proposals in the White Paper
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Every product will be regulated through designated standards or technical assessments or the new GSR.
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Products critical to safe construction will be subject to enhanced requirements
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Enhanced product information will be mandated to eliminate misleading marketing practices, with the proposals including:
- accessible labelling and safety‑critical data
- mandatory product information requirements
- digital product records
- a national construction product information library
- increased transparency of testing and certification data
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Digitalisation of product records is proposed by way of:
- digital product records by default
- QR‑linked product information
- integration with the “golden thread” for higher‑risk buildings
- support for a future digital ecosystem across the construction supply chain
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Strengthening Testing and Certification to address concerns about inconsistent and commercially influenced testing should be achieved by the proposals for:
- a licensing regime for all Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)
- mandatory duty for CABs to act in the public interest
- greater oversight and transparency of testing processes
- expanded public sector testing capacity
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New enforcement powers and sanctions for the regulator include:
- civil monetary penalties
- criminal sanctions
- director disqualification
- recovery of proceeds of crime
Routes to redress for those harmed by defective products will be improved.
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Improved sustainability of products should be achieved by proposals regarding:
- sustainable materials
- environmental performance reporting
- support for circular economy principles
- integration of MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) within the regulatory framework
What this means for the industry and duty holders
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and designers must prepare for more stringent responsibilities and greater scrutiny. The reforms demand cultural change: safety, integrity and transparency must be embedded into every stage of commercial practice.
Clearer roles are proposed for principal designers, principal contractors and installers, especially where products are critical to safe construction to achieve greater accountability across the chain.
The Government acknowledges the scale of change and intends to introduce phased implementation with detailed guidance to support compliance, including for SMEs.
Next steps
The Government invites responses to the consultations from all stakeholders in the construction product sector, and from members of the public.
To respond to the GSR consultation, please visit the online survey platform at:
To respond to the White Paper consultation, please use the online survey platform at:
Alternatively, you may respond to the consultations by email to:
ConstructionProducts@communities.gov.uk
And finally…
The two consultations represent a significant proposed overhaul of construction product regulation and provide a key opportunity for stakeholders to help shape a safer, more transparent system. We will publish further articles and post information on LinkedIn as the consultations, and the reforms, progress.