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User: I live in England and sell homemade charcoal privately.

I live in England and sell homemade charcoal privately. In UK law what insurance and checks need to be done before I sell the charcoal. I’m worried about any liability if there is injury of any kind once bought by a 3rd party?

Assistant: Here’s a clear picture of the legal requirements and risks in the UK England for selling homemade charcoal, and what yo…

Here’s a clear picture of the legal requirements and risks in the UK (England) for selling homemade charcoal, and what you should do about liability and insurance — especially if someone gets injured or property is damaged after buying your product:

🔎 1. Product Safety Law – You Must Sell Safe Products

Even if it’s homemade charcoal, once you sell it commercially it counts as a consumer product, and UK law requires it to be safe for its normal and reasonably foreseeable use. That includes:

• Ensuring it does not pose undue hazards when used as intended (e.g. for barbecues or heating).
• Clearly labelling it with any instructions or warnings about safe use (e.g. how to light it, burn it safely, storage advice, etc.).
• Keeping records that show you considered risks and took steps to minimise them (e.g. moisture content, packaging, storage).
• If you learn of any safety issue after sale, you have a duty to take corrective action and inform customers or authorities where necessary. GOV.UK

These responsibilities come from the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and related product safety laws. Wikipedia

Even without explicit product-specific rules for charcoal, the general obligation to sell only safe products still applies.

⚖️ 2. Product Liability – Strict Liability May Apply

Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, if a defective product causes:

• Personal injury (e.g. burns),
• Death, or
• Damage to property,

you can be held legally liable regardless of whether you were negligent. A strict liability claim doesn’t require proving you were careless — just that the product was defective and caused harm. Wikipedia

This applies even if you simply sell someone else’s product in certain circumstances (e.g. under your own name).

📜 3. Is Any Insurance Legally Required?

No UK law forces you to have product liability insurance specifically if you sell goods like charcoal. However:

• You can be sued without insurance, and claims can be for large amounts.
• Many event organisers, markets and platforms will require proof of insurance before you sell through them. Simply Business UK

Insurance isn’t compulsory, but operating without it exposes you to significant financial risk.

🛡️ 4. Recommended Insurance (Strongly Advisable)

Here are the common types of cover relevant for homemade charcoal sellers:

✅ Product Liability Insurance

Covers legal costs and compensation if someone claims injury or property damage due to a product you’ve made or sold. This is crucial if your charcoal causes a fire, burns, smoke damage, structural damage, etc. Simply Business UK

✅ Public Liability Insurance

Covers accidents that occur around your business, such as a customer injured when picking up charcoal from your premises, or at a stall. CMTIA

Often these are bundled together in small business insurance policies.

👉 Many insurers offer tailored policies for crafters/market traders. It’s typical to see recommended cover levels between £1 million to £10 million, depending on risk and market requirements. CMTIA

📦 5. Labeling & Instructions

Even if charcoal isn’t a “regulated product” like toys or chemicals, you should include:

• Clear instructions for safe use,
• Any foreseeable hazard warnings (e.g. risk of fire, carbon monoxide danger indoors),
• Your business name and contact details.

This helps demonstrate you took reasonable steps to reduce risk — useful if you ever need to defend against a claim.

📍 6. Other Practical Legal Points

🏷️ No specific licence for selling charcoal

There’s no special production licence for charcoal itself — but you must abide by product safety laws and any local rules about selling goods. Traders at markets often need to register with local council or pay fees.

📊 Business setup matters

If your sales are regular and commercial, you should consider:

• Registering as a sole trader or limited company,
• Keeping clear accounts and records of sales and safety checks.

(These are tax/business requirements, not safety requirements.)

✅ Summary – What You Should Do Before Selling

| Requirement | Legal? | Recommended? | | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------------- | | Sell only safe products | ✔️ Yes | ✔️ | | Label with safe use instructions | ✔️ Yes | ✔️ | | Product liability insurance | ✖️ Not legally required | ✔️ Strongly recommended | | Public liability insurance | ✖️ Not legally required | ✔️ Recommended | | Trading Standards compliance & records | ✔️ Yes | ✔️ | | Market/event insurance requirements | ✔️ Sometimes required | ✔️ |

📌 Final Tip

Even though insurance isn’t mandated by statute, running without it is very risky because UK product liability law can make you personally liable for large claims. Most small craft sellers in the UK take out both product and public liability insurance before starting to sell to protect themselves financially. Simply Business UK

If you want, I can walk you through what typical policy coverages look like for a home-made goods business in the UK and give you a simple checklist for packaging and labelling — just let me know!