Product safety laws in the UK will be overhauled to ensure they are fit for the digital age, the government has announced.

Some laws are over 30 years old, with the government claiming the new changes will better protect customers when shopping online or buying new technology such as smart devices.

It added that the reform of safety laws will reduce costs for businesses with the introduction of electronic labelling, explaining that this could reduce waste and allow product information to be updated quickly and easily.

The government has also opened a consultation to explore how it can improve regulation for devices which connect to the internet and use artificial intelligence, as well as to help identify new safety laws for domestic upholstered furniture to reduce the risk of fire hazards.

The update to current laws is part of a wider move by the UK government to revoke or reform over 2,000 pieces of retained EU legislation following the UK’s departure from the EU.

“I am determined to use our post-Brexit freedoms to identify outdated EU laws placing unnecessary burdens on business and reform them to benefit both companies and consumers,” said business secretary Kemi Badenoch. “These changes will provide better consumer protections while upholding our world-leading safety standards and will also cut costs for business to ensure they have the freedom they need to innovate and thrive, helping to create jobs and grow the economy.”

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