UKCA mark deadline delayed

Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell reports on a delay that companies will be able to get behind.

Businesses will have an additional year to apply new product safety markings for most products placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales, the government has announced.

“Recognising the impact of the pandemic on businesses, the government will extend this deadline to January 1, 2023 to apply UKCA marks for certain products to demonstrate compliance with product safety regulations, rather than January 1, 2022,” the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) said.

The UKCA marking replaces the CE mark.

The government said it made the decision following ongoing engagement with business groups, and reflects the issues businesses have raised, particularly given the impact of the pandemic.   

This news should come as a huge relief to many businesses, which were struggling to get products tested in time, thanks to busy test centres and the additional pressures caused by the pandemic.

In fact, as I write this, I am having an email conversation with one fabricator who is struggling to balance an increased workload with absences caused by Covid – and he hasn’t even mentioned supply delays or driver shortages.

Just as the FIT Show recognised the mounting workloads faced by companies, the government has wisely heeded concerns aired by businesses and trade associations, and sensibly removed an unnecessary extra pressure.