Advertising requirements for biocidal products

The requirements for how all biocidal products can be advertised in Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) are set out by the:

  • GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR) for Great Britain
  • EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU BPR) for Northern Ireland

These advertising requirements are enforced by Trading Standards, rather than the Heath and Safety Executive (HSE).

Legal definition

GB and EU BPR define an advertisement as:

'a means of promoting the sale or use of biocidal products by printed, electronic or other media'

Advertisements:

  • are aimed at potential customers or users
  • identify and promote the sale or use of a product
  • could be, for example:
    • pictorial
    • broadcast
    • recorded
    • any media that is stored or transmitted by electronic means – for example radio, TV and the internet, including social media
    • promotional brochures and mailings - both individually addressed and not

Advertisements do not normally include:

If you're unsure if your communication might be an advertisement, contact your local Trading Standards office[69] for advice.

Action for authorisation holders and marketing companies

Advertisements for your biocidal products must include the sentences:

'Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.'

The sentences must be clearly distinguishable and legible in relation to the whole advertisement.

You may replace the word 'biocides' with a clear reference to the product-type being advertised, for example:

  • ‘Use disinfectants safely. Always read the label and product information before use.’
  • ‘Use insecticides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.’

Your advertisements must not describe the biocidal product in any way which is misleading in relation to:

  • the risks to human health
  • the risks to animal health
  • the risks to the environment
  • its efficacy

Terms that are considered to be misleading and must not be used include:

  • low-risk
  • non-toxic
  • harmless
  • natural
  • environmentally friendly
  • animal friendly
  • any similar terms

Your advertisements must also comply with:

HSE does not endorse any products, therefore your advertisements must not include any statements such as 'HSE authorised'.

Action for Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) approval holders

If your biocidal product is approved under COPR in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, there are specific requirements for advertisements that you must comply with - you can find these in Regulation 6(a) (or Schedule 1) of COPR itself[72].

For example, your advertisements must include the name(s) of the active substance(s) in the product, and include the sentences:

‘Always read the label. Use pesticides safely.’

You must also comply with the advertising requirements of GB and EU BPR as these are applicable to all biocidal products advertised in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Following 2 sets of law means that advertisements for biocidal products approved under COPR in Great Britain and Northern Ireland should include both the GB and EU BPR phrase 'Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.' and the COPR phrase 'Always read the label. Use pesticides safely.'

However, as it is more practical, HSE considers it is acceptable to use only the GB and EU BPR phrase.

HSE does not endorse any products, therefore your advertisements must not include any statements such as 'HSE approved'.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Biocideshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/index.htm
  2. Biocides: Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/introduction.htm
  3. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulated/index.htm
  4. Biocides: active substance statushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/checking/index.htm
  5. Importing and exportinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/importing.htm
  6. Certificates of Free Sale and Export Statementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/certificates-of-freesale.htm
  7. Treated articleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/treated-articles.htm
  8. Monitoring trapshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/monitoring-traps.htm
  9. Article 3(3) decisions on scopehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/decisions-on-scope.htm
  10. In situ generationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/in-situ-generation.htm
  11. Get product on UK markethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/market.htm
  12. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/using.htm
  13. Honey beeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/honey-bees.htm
  14. Rodenticideshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/rodenticides.htm
  15. Reporting exposurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/reporting.htm
  16. Biocides enforcementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/enforcement.htm
  17. Authorities and activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/enforcement-authorities.htm
  18. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/active-substance-approval.htm
  19. UK Review Programmehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/review-regulation.htm
  20. Active substances: How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/how-to-apply.htm
  21. Simplified active substanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/simplified-actives.htm
  22. The GB List of Active Substanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-list-active-substances.htm
  23. GB Article 95: The basicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-basics.htm
  24. GB Article 95: How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-how-to-apply.htm
  25. The GB Article 95 Listhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-list.htm
  26. Technical equivalence of an active substancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/technical-equivalence.htm
  27. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/product-authorisation-overview.htm
  28. National authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/national-authorisation.htm
  29. Simplified authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/simplified-product-authorisation.htm
  30. Same biocidal product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/same-biocidal-product.htm
  31. Change or cancel a biocidal product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/change/index.htm
  32. Renew an existing product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/renew.htm
  33. Research and developmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/research.htm
  34. Essential use authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/essential-use-authorisation.htm
  35. Critical situation permitshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/critical-situation-permits.htm
  36. Food and feed derogationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/derogation.htm
  37. Unfettered access notificationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/unfettered-access-notification.htm
  38. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-authorised-biocidal-products.htm
  39. Advertisement requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/advertisement-requirements.htm
  40. Packaging and labelling requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/packaging-labelling-requirements.htm
  41. Record keepinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/recording-keeping-reporting.htm
  42. Informing NPIShttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/informing-npis.htm
  43. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/data-protection.htm
  44. Access to documents: Biocidal active substances and productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/access-to-documents.htm
  45. Data sharing in GBhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/data-sharing.htm
  46. Vertebrate testinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/vertebrate-testing.htm
  47. GB BPR feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/fees.htm
  48. Biocides regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulations.htm
  49. Northern Irelandhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/northern-ireland.htm
  50. Existing products: Transfer to GB BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/transfer-from-uk-national-law.htm
  51. Existing NI products: transfer to EU BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/existing-products-northern-ireland.htm
  52. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/index.htm
  53. COPR approval: how to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/application.htm
  54. COPR product approval typeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/approvals.htm
  55. COPR approved productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/approved.htm
  56. COPR feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/fees.htm
  57. COPR labellinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/labelguidance.htm
  58. Conditions of approvalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/conditions.htm
  59. Open invitations and notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/open-invitations-notifications.htm
  60. Consultations and surveyshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/consultations.htm
  61. Consultations: Submitting informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/consultations-submitting.htm
  62. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/information.htm
  63. Glossaryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/glossary.htm
  64. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/links.htm
  65. Contacthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/contact.htm
  66. Service standardshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/servicestandards.htm
  67. Temporary changes to GB biocides application processing timeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/temporary-changes-application-processing-time.htm
  68. packaging and labelling of biocidal productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/packaging-labelling-requirements.htm
  69. contact your local Trading Standards officehttps://www.tradingstandards.uk/
  70. GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (GB CLP) Regulationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemical-classification/index.htm
  71. EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (EU CLP) Regulation in Northern Irelandhttps://echa.europa.eu/regulations/clp/understanding-clp
  72. you can find these in Regulation 6(a) (or Schedule 1) of COPR itselfhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1510/schedule/1/made
  73. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/information.htm#law
  74. Brexit: Implications for Northern Irelandhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/northern-ireland.htm
  75. Product authorisation overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/product-authorisation-overview.htm
  76. Packaging and labelling requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/packaging-labelling-requirements.htm
  77. Existing products: Transfer to GB BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/transfer-from-uk-national-law.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

COPR
Control of Pesticides Regulations

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Updated 2025-03-12