Now that you’ve learnt how to make the perfect candle and people are interested in purchasing your product you now need to think about how to sell. You are now a business owner and you now need to make sure you are protected and are following the Trading Standards regulations. You also need to be aware of the legalities that relate to selling your product. To help you understand, we have created a guide to clarify areas that you may have had questions on. The following information is in regards to the sale of candles and wax melts.
The laws that are set in place for selling candles are not that easy to understand as there are many requirements. The laws are in place to protect the consumer and the manufacturer. It is important you make sure you are a seller that is reliable and complying to the rules.
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the local authority that governs you once you begin selling candles. If you have any questions or concerns about your selling you should contact them.
The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) is a law that applies to you and the safety of the goods. This was not created specifically for the production or sale aspects or candles. Nor does it contain any specific laws regarding those elements, but it does have European Standards within it which is what you have to follow when it comes to the sale of the candles.If you fail to follow the law it shows a lack of care and understanding.
Online Selling
The best way to sell a product is to sell it over multiple channels. This ranges from using online stores to social media accounts. When selling in this manner you are creating a ‘distance contract’ with your consumer. The terms of a ‘distance contract’ state you must give a 14 day right to cancel and supply pre-contract information. ‘The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013’ is an agreement between you and the consumer that is legally binding.
When you create social media business accounts or business websites you have to provide certain business details
- Business Name
- Email Address
- Geographical Address
- Legal Ownership Name
- VAT Number
To gain further trust of your consumers you could also include British Candle makers Federation Membership Details if you have joined it.
It is legally required that the consumer is aware of who the seller is when they are forming a contract with you. This does not only apply to online and social media. You also have to follow these regulations when you are making in person sales under the ‘Companies Act 2005’ and ‘e-commerce Regulations’. You need to make sure that you have your company information on business correspondences, invoices and receipts. It is best to have the details on display in a manner that the customer can easily find as it builds a stronger relationship with a higher level of trust.
Business Insurance
It is important to insure your business. Insurance is the way you protect yourself from unpredicted events. ‘Craft Insurance’ is offered by some insurance companies and it covers candle making. To find the best price you should research the different insurance companies and find out what they have to offer. Businesses with all of the correct labelling on their products have been taken to court so it is better to get insurance and be safer rather than sorry as you could find yourself facing hefty legal bills. Protecting yourself and your business from the unknown is always the best option.
Additional Label Information
Labelling correctly is essential when it comes to selling your candles. You need to make sure that your labels have the correct CLP documentation for each candle. You can find this information in another article on the website.
If your candles have any resemblance to food whether that be in looks or smell then you had to add additional information to the labels. Products that children may mistake for food are banned as a child could try to eat it which could cause injury or death. To avoid this issue with candles you are able to sell them by adding information clearly to the packaging saying that it is not a product that can be eaten. It may also be worthwhile to look into ways of packaging the product in a child friendly way.
You may only sell and label your product as an insect repellent if you have the scientific evidence to prove so or if you have registered the candle with ‘The Health and Safety Executive’ (HSE). If you are unable to provide the evidence and your candle is not registered with HSE you are misleading the consumer and are falsely advertising with could cause legal issues.
Additionally, when you are making claims about the fragrance efficiency and burn time you have to have the evidence to back the statement up. People purchasing your products are protected from professional diligence, misleading information and actions which includes the marketing, advertising, labels and verbal descriptions under ‘The Consumer Protection for Unfair Trading Regulations 2008’.
While we hope the information in the article helps you with selling your candles, please note that it serves only as a guide. We try to ensure that the information is current and accurate, however Scents Soaps and Candles does not accept any liability for any inaccurate information as regulations are often amended. To ensure you are up to date with the information refer to the Candle Federation.