Product Safety & Product Compliance
Licensed merchandise and button batteries: compliance checklist
Practical guidance on licensed merchandise and button batteries: compliance checklist, with a November 2025 explanation, business checklist and evidence questions.
What changed in November 2025
The undertaking records an admission of likely contravention involving a branded headband containing button batteries and sets matter-specific corrective and compliance commitments.
What businesses should do now
Extend safety approval, supplier evidence, warning and recall controls to licensed, promotional and third-party manufactured merchandise—not only core product lines.
- Classify the exact product and each variant before choosing a compliance pathway.
- Identify current safety standards, information standards, bans and transition terms.
- Match testing, certificates, warnings and instructions to the supplied model and construction.
- Verify online, in-store, on-product, packaging and instruction information before supply.
- Block or quarantine stock when evidence, samples, components or classifications do not align.
Evidence to retain
- Applicable legal instrument and the technical pathway selected for the supply date.
- Model-matched reports, sample details, laboratory scope and test results.
- Approved warnings, packaging, instructions, listings and variant records.
- Supplier change notices, production checks, release decisions and corrective actions.
Turn the issue into a controlled decision
- Record the affected product, claim, customer journey, system, supplier or business process.
- Separate current requirements from proposals, priorities, allegations, warnings and matter-specific outcomes.
- Assign an owner, action date and evidence location for every material gap.
- Set review triggers for legal changes, new facts, supplier changes, incidents, complaints and campaign variations.
- Escalate when the available facts or evidence do not support the proposed decision.
Questions to ask
Focus on the decision and the evidence.
- 01
What is the exact product, model, construction, intended use and supply date?
- 02
Which current standard, ban, warning or transition pathway applies?
- 03
Does the evidence match the product, packaging, online listing and supplied batch?
Primary sources
Check the controlling material.
Recommended training
Watchdog PRO Certificate: Product Safety Professional
Build the screening, evidence and escalation skills required to manage product-safety decisions before supply.
- Classify products, standards, bans and information duties
- Assess hazards, risk and technical evidence
- Control suppliers, labels, traceability and change
Practical support
Apply the guidance to your facts.
Identify the exact product, claim, customer journey, supplier, legal entity or process involved. Preserve the information that supports the current position, record unresolved facts, assign an owner and confirm the point at which specialist review is required.
Tell us how this issue affects your organisation and receive a tailored recommendation for the most useful next step.
Important information
Check the current position.
This resource is general information, not legal advice. Laws, official guidance and proposals can change. Do not rely on a title or summary alone to decide whether a requirement applies to a particular entity, product or activity.