Since Brexit, UK REACH maintains its own candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC), administered by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It is separate from the EU/ECHA list and the two diverge over time — a substance can be listed in one and not the other.
What was added in June 2026
The June 2026 update added new substances to the UK candidate list, including plasticisers and a flame retardant used in plastics. Sellers who screen only against the EU list would miss these GB-specific additions.
The duties a listing triggers
0.1% w/w threshold — if an article (including a packaging component) contains a candidate-list SVHC above 0.1% weight by weight, the supplier must give business customers enough information for safe use, at minimum the substance name.
Consumer requests — consumers can request the same information and must receive it within 45 days, free of charge.
What importers should do
Re-screen articles sold into GB against the current HSE list after every update (the list is updated periodically, typically twice a year).
Collect supplier declarations at the article level, not only for the finished product.
Track UK/EU divergence in your substance screening so one check covers both markets.
Verify the current list and substance entries on the official HSE candidate-list page before acting.
