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Selling general consumer goods in Singapore

In Singapore, most consumer goods not covered by another regime fall under the Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods Safety Requirements) Regulations 2011, run by the Consumer Product Safety Office. Goods meet an applicable ISO, IEC, EN or ASTM standard with no pre-market registration. Household electrical goods, food, cosmetics and chemicals have their own rules.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulator
Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO), overseen by CCS
Main text
Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods Safety Requirements) Regulations 2011
Before sale
No registration or approval; post-market surveillance
Standards
An applicable ISO, IEC, EN or ASTM standard, plus CPSO requirements
Exceptions
Controlled Goods, food, health products, chemicals and others
Packaging
Yearly NEA report above S$10 million turnover

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product covered by another regime, or is it a general consumer good? Read more
  2. 2Which standard applies, and is there a test report against it? Read more
  3. 3What happens if a safety problem is found after sale? Read more
  4. 4Is the quantity stated correctly in metric units? Read more
  5. 5Does the business report its packaging to NEA? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

What the CGSR covers

General consumer goods, and the products regulated elsewhere.

  • The CGSR, in force since 1 April 2011, covers consumer goods intended for personal, domestic or household use that are not regulated under other laws, such as toys, apparel, furniture and bedding.
  • Household electrical, electronic and gas products in the 33 categories of Controlled Goods are registered with the CPSO and carry the SAFETY Mark under separate regulations.
  • Food and products in contact with food come under SFA; cosmetics and health products under HSA; hazardous substances, pesticides and vector repellents under NEA.
  • Suppliers include manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and anyone who gives the product as a prize or gift for commercial purposes.

How we help: Compliant Always records which regime each product falls under, and why, so the right documents are gathered from the start. Ask about this

Safety standards

What a general consumer good meets.

  • Goods with an applicable ISO, IEC, EN or ASTM standard meet at least one such standard plus any additional CPSO requirements; others meet applicable regional or national standards.
  • The CGSR relies on post-market surveillance; there is no requirement for pre-market testing, certification or approval by the CPSO.
  • In an investigation, the CPSO may ask for test reports and information showing that reasonable means were taken to meet the safety requirements.
  • The CPSO advises that a CE marking, being a supplier's declaration, is no assurance that a product has been tested to the relevant EN standard.

How we help: Upload a test report and Compliant Always reads it against the standard that applies, and keeps it with the product and the lot. Ask about this

Stop-sale and safety issues

What the CPSO can do, and what suppliers do when they find a problem.

  • The CPSO can stop the sale of unsafe goods and publicise them; once a good is publicised as unsafe, supplying it is not allowed.
  • The CPSO can also direct suppliers to inform users of the potential dangers of the goods.
  • Suppliers who learn that goods they sell are unsafe should stop selling them immediately and notify the CPSO.
  • Failing to follow a direction, or selling after a public notice, carries a fine of up to $2,000 or up to 12 months' imprisonment on first conviction, and up to $10,000 or two years after that.

How we help: Compliant Always ties each document to the batch it covers, so a question about one batch is answered from the record. Ask about this

Quantity and packaging

Rules that apply to the pack whatever is inside it.

  • It is an offence to supply pre-packaged goods with less than the quantity stated on the package or label; the net content excludes packaging.
  • Net content is stated in metric units, such as grams, kilograms, millilitres and litres.
  • Companies with annual turnover above S$10 million that supply goods in Singapore and import or use packaging report packaging data and 3R plans to NEA each year under the Resource Sustainability Act.
  • The 2027 reporting window runs from 1 January to 31 March 2027, for data from 2026, and records are kept for five years.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps your net-content checks and packaging data with each product, ready for an inspector or the yearly report. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Manufacturer or brandMeeting an applicable safety standard and the CPSO's additional requirements.Test reports and specifications kept with each product.
ImporterSupplying only safe goods, acting on a CPSO direction, and packaging reporting above the threshold.Supplier test reports read and dated before the goods arrive.
Retailer or online sellerStopping sale and notifying the CPSO when a product turns out to be unsafe, and accurate quantities.The documents behind each product shown when a buyer or the CPSO asks.

Questions businesses ask

Do consumer goods need approval before sale in Singapore?
Most do not. General consumer goods under the CGSR need no pre-market testing, certification or approval. The 33 categories of Controlled Goods, food, cosmetics and some chemicals have their own pre-market steps.
Who regulates consumer product safety in Singapore?
The Consumer Product Safety Office, overseen by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore, administers the CGSR and the SAFETY Mark scheme.
Which standard must a consumer good meet?
At least one applicable ISO, IEC, EN or ASTM standard plus any additional CPSO requirements. Where none exists, an applicable regional or national standard.
Do I need a test report to sell consumer goods?
Not before sale. But in an investigation the CPSO may ask for test reports and information showing reasonable means were taken to meet the safety requirements.
Is a CE mark enough for Singapore?
The CPSO notes that the CE marking is based on the supplier's declaration and is no assurance that a product has been tested to the relevant EN standard.
What happens if a product is found to be unsafe?
The CPSO can direct suppliers to stop supplying it and inform users of the dangers, and can publicise it as unsafe. Selling it after that is an offence.
What should I do if I find a safety problem with a product I sell?
Stop supplying it immediately and notify the CPSO.
In which units must net content be stated?
Metric units, such as grams, kilograms, millilitres and litres. Supplying pre-packaged goods with less than the stated quantity is an offence.
Do I need to report packaging to NEA?
If your company supplies goods in Singapore, imports or uses packaging, and has annual turnover above S$10 million, it reports packaging data and 3R plans to NEA each year.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Singapore?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Singapore and what your paperwork needs to show.

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