CLP Labels: The Complete UK Guide for Craft Sellers

A CLP label is the hazard label GB law requires on a chemical mixture — a scented candle, wax melt, reed diffuser or room spray — once that mixture is classified as hazardous. The duty follows the classification, not the product type: GB CLP says that "Where a substance or mixture is classified as hazardous, suppliers shall ensure that the substance or mixture is labelled and packaged" in accordance with its labelling rules. Many scented products do classify, often for skin sensitisation from the fragrance. When one does, its label carries the supplier's name, address and telephone number, the nominal quantity, a product identifier naming the key hazardous substances, and the pictograms, signal word, hazard statements and precautionary statements its classification produces.

This guide covers which craft products need CLP labels, every element of the label with a worked example, and how to classify your products. Get it wrong and you face trading standards enforcement and marketplace delistings.

This article covers UK (Great Britain) CLP requirements. Northern Ireland follows EU CLP, which has some differences. This is not legal advice — consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.

What Does CLP Stand For?

CLP stands for Classification, Labelling and Packaging. It refers to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, a set of rules governing how hazardous chemicals are classified and communicated to users through labels and safety data sheets.

Since 1 January 2021, the UK operates under GB CLP — the retained version of the EU CLP Regulation, adapted for Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the GB CLP agency responsible for regulation and enforcement.

The CLP system adopts the United Nations' Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for chemical classification. If you've seen those red-bordered diamond symbols on cleaning products — those are GHS hazard pictograms, and they're a core part of CLP labelling.

If the acronym itself is what brought you here, our short explainer on what CLP stands for unpacks the term and the common "CLPS" misspelling.

Which Craft Products Need CLP Labels?

The short answer: any product that is a chemical mixture and is classified as hazardous under GB CLP needs a compliant label. For craft sellers, this typically means:

Products that need CLP labels:

• Candles — contain fragrance oils, which are chemical mixtures with known hazard classifications. See our specific guide on CLP labels for candles for candle-format details.
• Wax melts — same as candles; the fragrance oil concentration often makes them hazardous. See our CLP labels for wax melts guide for clamshell and multi-pack labelling specifics, and what UK sellers need to put on a wax melt label for the label itself.
• Reed diffusers — usually contain higher fragrance oil concentrations than candles, so they often carry more severe hazard classifications. See reed diffuser CLP labels and why they often classify more severely.
• Room sprays — aerosol or pump sprays with fragrance compounds are chemical mixtures requiring CLP
• Car fresheners, drawer sachets, and other home fragrance products — if they contain fragrance oils, they fall under CLP

Products that do NOT need CLP labels (but have other requirements):

• Soap, skincare, and cosmetics applied to the body — regulated under the UK Cosmetics Regulation instead. You need a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) and an SCPN notification made by the product's Responsible Person, not a CLP label. For typical costs, process, and how to choose an assessor, see our CPSR certification guide. If you sell cosmetics too, check cosmetic labels with our free Cosmetic Labelling Checker.
• Toys — regulated under toy safety regulations (EN71 series). Some products like toy candles may need both CLP and toy safety compliance.
• Unscented plain wax candles — if genuinely unscented with no fragrance oils, they may not classify as hazardous. Check the SDS for your specific wax.

The grey area: Some products sit at the boundary. A soap marketed as a hand wash is a cosmetic. The same soap marketed as a cleaning product falls under CLP. What matters is how the product is presented and its intended use.

What Goes on a CLP Label: the Required Elements

Article 17(1) of GB CLP lists what the label of a hazardous mixture must include. Three elements always apply — "(a) the name, address and telephone number of the supplier(s); (b) the nominal quantity of the substance or mixture in the package made available to the general public, unless this quantity is specified elsewhere on the package; (c) product identifiers as specified in Article 18" — and the rest apply "where applicable": pictograms, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements and, where needed, a supplemental information section. (See also the HSE's labelling and packaging guidance.) Grouped, that is six things to get right:

1. Product Identifier

For a mixture — which is what a scented craft product is — Article 18(3) requires both the trade name or designation of the mixture and "the identity of all substances in the mixture that contribute to the classification of the mixture as regards acute toxicity, skin corrosion or serious eye damage, germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory or skin sensitisation, specific target organ toxicity (STOT) or aspiration hazard". Where that produces a long list, "a maximum of four chemical names shall suffice", unless more are needed to reflect the nature and severity of the hazards.

For a candle, this would be something like: "Lavender & Sage Scented Candle" followed by the names of the hazardous fragrance components (e.g., linalool, limonene, coumarin) that contribute to the classification.

2. Supplier Details

The name, address, and telephone number of the supplier responsible for placing the product on the GB market. GB CLP defines a supplier as "any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture" — so when you make the candle and sell it, the supplier of that candle is you, wherever your fragrance oil came from, and your details go on the label. The telephone number is the element makers most often leave off.

3. Nominal Quantity

The net quantity of the product in the package, where it is supplied to the general public. For candles this is typically weight in grams; for diffusers it might be volume in millilitres.

4. Hazard Pictograms

The red-bordered diamond-shaped GHS symbols that visually communicate the type of hazard. Each pictogram has a specific meaning — see the next section for the ones most relevant to craft products, or our full guide to what each CLP hazard symbol means.

The pictograms must be printed at a minimum size, set by package capacity. Under CLP Annex I Table 1.3, for packages with a capacity not exceeding 3 litres, each pictogram must be at least 10 × 10 mm. Larger packages need proportionally larger pictograms. In every case a pictogram must be no smaller than 1 cm² and must occupy at least one-fifteenth of the minimum label area. Our guide to CLP label size, durability and printing rules goes into these in more detail.

5. Signal Word

Either "Danger" (for more severe hazard categories) or "Warning" (for less severe categories). Only one appears: Article 20(3) says "Where the signal word 'Danger' is used on the label, the signal word 'Warning' shall not appear on the label."

Which one you get comes straight from the classification. Skin sensitisation on its own, for example, carries "Warning"; a product that also classifies for a more severe hazard may carry "Danger".

6. Hazard and Precautionary Statements

Hazard statements (H-codes) describe the nature of the hazard:

• H226: Flammable liquid and vapour
• H317: May cause an allergic skin reaction
• H319: Causes serious eye irritation
• H412: Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects

Precautionary statements (P-codes) describe how to prevent harm, what to do in case of exposure, how to store the product, and how to dispose of it:

• P210: Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
• P261: Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
• P280: Wear protective gloves/eye protection.
• P501: Dispose of contents/container to … (completed with the disposal route, in accordance with local/regional/national/international regulation).

The exact H-codes and P-codes on your label depend entirely on the classification of your specific product. You cannot copy them from another seller's label — even if you use the same fragrance oil, different concentrations produce different classifications. Two rules govern the precautionary statements: Article 28(3) says "Not more than six precautionary statements shall appear on the label, unless necessary to reflect the nature and the severity of the hazards", and where the product is supplied to the general public, Article 28(2) requires "one precautionary statement addressing the disposal of that substance or mixture as well as the disposal of packaging".

A CLP Label Example, Element by Element

Here is how those elements come together for one product. The example uses the same figures as the classification walkthrough further down: a 200 g lavender candle with fragrance oil at 8%, where the supplier has confirmed the oil contains 15% linalool, classified on the supplier's safety data sheet as a skin sensitiser Sub-category 1B. That puts linalool at 1.2% of the candle — above the 1.0% generic concentration limit that GB CLP Annex I Table 3.4.5 sets for a Sub-category 1B skin sensitiser — so, assuming nothing else in the recipe classifies, the candle classifies as a skin sensitiser.

Label element	What goes on this candle's label	Where the rule comes from
Product identifier	"Lavender Candle" — plus "Contains linalool"	Article 18(3): trade name + substances contributing to sensitisation
Supplier details	Your business name, full postal address and telephone number	Article 17(1)(a)
Nominal quantity	200 g	Article 17(1)(b)
Hazard pictogram	GHS07 (exclamation mark)	Annex I Table 3.4.7, skin sensitisation
Signal word	Warning	Annex I Table 3.4.7
Hazard statement	H317: May cause an allergic skin reaction	Annex I Table 3.4.7
Precautionary statements	Selected from those Table 3.4.7 lists for skin sensitisation — P261, P272, P280, P302 + P352, P333 + P313, P321, P362 + P364, P501 — dropping any that are clearly redundant for the product (Article 28(1)) and keeping to six where possible (Article 28(3)), with a disposal statement because it is sold to the public (Article 28(2))	Annex I Table 3.4.7; Article 28

Three things the example shows that a blank template does not:

• The ingredient name is on the label because of the classification. Linalool appears because it is the substance that made the candle a skin sensitiser. A candle that did not classify would not carry it in the product identifier — though it could still owe a supplemental "Contains … May produce an allergic reaction" line if a sensitiser sits above the lower elicitation limit.
• Every line traces back to a rule. Nothing on the label is decoration or brand copy; the brand name and design go around it.
• Change the recipe, change the label. At a 5% fragrance load, linalool would be 0.75% of the candle — below the 1.0% limit — and the classification, pictogram and signal word would all need working out again.

CLP Hazard Pictograms for Craft Products

Nine GHS hazard pictograms exist, but craft sellers typically encounter three or four:

GHS02 — Flame Indicates flammable products. For liquids — reed diffusers and room sprays — it depends on the flash point of the finished product, not the raw fragrance oil: GB CLP defines a flammable liquid as "a liquid having a flash point of not more than 60 °C". A candle or wax melt is a solid, so the flammable-liquid classes do not apply to it; whether a solid is a flammable solid is a separate question that GB CLP settles by test. Check your product against the right criteria rather than assuming either way.

GHS07 — Exclamation Mark Indicates irritant, sensitising or harmful products. It is the pictogram for skin sensitisation — the classification fragrance components most often trigger in scented products — as well as for skin and eye irritation.

GHS09 — Environment Indicates products hazardous to the aquatic environment. Some fragrance oil components are toxic to aquatic organisms. Whether your product needs this pictogram depends on the specific ingredients and their concentrations.

GHS05 — Corrosion Less common for craft products, but some fragrance components at higher concentrations can cause serious eye damage or skin burns. Products with a higher fragrance load are where to look for it.

You determine which pictograms apply through the classification process — not by guessing or copying another product's label. Our free CLP Pictogram Finder can help you identify which pictograms apply to your product type.

How to Classify Your Products Step by Step

Classification is the process of determining which hazards apply to your product and at what severity. For a detailed walkthrough specific to candles and wax melts, see our CLP labelling guide for candle and wax melt makers. Here's the general workflow:

Step 1: Collect Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from your suppliers. Every fragrance oil, dye, and chemical ingredient you use should come with a Safety Data Sheet. The SDS contains the hazard classification data you need. If your supplier hasn't provided one, request it — they are legally required to supply SDS for hazardous substances and mixtures.

Step 2: Identify hazardous ingredients and their concentrations. From each SDS, note the hazardous components, their classifications and their concentrations — all three are in Section 3. (Section 2 is the classification of the fragrance oil itself, not of your candle.) Then calculate what percentage of each hazardous ingredient is present in your final product based on your formulation recipe.

Section 3 usually gives concentrations as ranges, and a classification needs one figure per component describing one single recipe. Reading each range at its upper end will not give you that: those upper limits apply to each component individually, they are not all true at the same time, and together they routinely exceed the whole oil. Where your sheets only give ranges, ask your supplier for the actual concentrations in the product you bought before you go further — see the candle and wax melt guide for a worked example.

Step 3: Apply the mixture classification rules. GB CLP provides rules for classifying mixtures based on their ingredients, and how the comparison is done differs between hazard classes. For some classes, such as skin irritation, eye irritation and aquatic toxicity, Annex I adds up the classified ingredients — for eye irritation, a mixture classifies where "the sum of the concentrations of such ingredients exceeds a concentration limit". Other classes compare each ingredient against its own limit. Check the mixture rule for each hazard class in Annex I rather than applying one method to all of them.

For example, if your candle's fragrance oil is 8% of the total product weight and your supplier has confirmed the oil contains 15% linalool (classified as a skin sensitiser), then linalool is 1.2% of your final product. If the skin sensitisation threshold is 1%, your product is classified as a skin sensitiser.

Step 4: Determine the label elements. Once classified, the regulation tells you exactly which pictograms, signal word, H-statements, and P-statements apply. This is not a creative exercise — it's a direct lookup based on the hazard categories your product falls into.

Step 5: If you sell into the EU or Northern Ireland, add a Unique Formula Identifier (UFI). There is no GB UFI duty — GB CLP Annex VIII, which introduced UFI codes, was revoked on 1 January 2024, and nothing was inserted to replace it. GOV.UK confirms it: "There is no obligation to generate or submit a unique formula identifier (UFI) code in Great Britain" — the same page adds that NPIS will still register a UFI if one has already been generated. UFI codes remain mandatory in the EU and in Northern Ireland, where EU CLP — including Annex VIII — applies: mixtures classified for health or physical hazards and supplied to consumers there need a UFI code on the label, linking the product to its formulation data in a poison centre notification. If any of your GB CLP-compliant products also go into the EU or NI, see UFI codes explained — when you need one and how to generate it.

CLP vs Cosmetics Regulation: Which One Applies?

This is the single most common point of confusion for craft sellers who make both home fragrance and body care products.

The deciding factor is intended use:

Product Type	Intended Use	Regulation	What You Need
Scented candle	Ambient fragrance (not applied to body)	GB CLP	CLP-compliant label
Wax melt	Ambient fragrance	GB CLP	CLP-compliant label
Reed diffuser	Ambient fragrance	GB CLP	CLP-compliant label
Hand soap	Applied to skin for cleansing	UK Cosmetics Regulation	CPSR + SCPN notification
Bath bomb	Applied to skin	UK Cosmetics Regulation	CPSR + SCPN notification
Lip balm, moisturiser	Applied to skin	UK Cosmetics Regulation	CPSR + SCPN notification
Room spray	Ambient fragrance (sprayed in air)	GB CLP	CLP-compliant label

If you sell products in both categories, you need to comply with both regulatory frameworks — CLP for your home fragrance line, Cosmetics Regulation for your body care line (see our guide to cosmetic labelling requirements). They are separate regimes with different requirements.

What Happens If You Don't Comply

CLP compliance is not optional. HSE states that "It is an offence for a person to fail to comply with, or cause another person to fail to comply with, their duties under the UK Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulation (GB CLP)."

Enforcement: which authority enforces depends on the product and where it is supplied — HSE's enforcement guidance explains how to find the right one. HSE describes what an inspection or investigation can involve: requiring documentation or samples, visits that may be unannounced, buying products online — covertly if need be — and using powers to enter premises, seize evidence ("including taking measurements, photographs, recordings and samples"), serve improvement and prohibition notices, and prosecute.

Court penalties: HSE notes that "there is often no limit on the amount of fine that can be awarded, and in certain circumstances a Court may sentence an individual to up to two years in prison", with the maximum depending on the court and on whether the offence was in England, Wales or Scotland.

Marketplace enforcement: online marketplaces set their own product-safety rules on top of the law and can remove listings they consider non-compliant.

Practical impact: Even without formal enforcement, selling non-compliant products exposes you to civil liability if a customer has a reaction to an unlabelled allergen or is harmed by an undisclosed hazard. The CLP label is your evidence that you did your due diligence. CLP is one of several obligations on UK candle and wax melt sellers — see our overview of legal requirements for selling candles and wax melts in the UK for the wider picture (insurance, fire safety, marketplace rules).

What's Changing in 2026

The core GB CLP regime — hazard classes, label elements, and supplier duties — is stable, but the HSE periodically updates the GB Mandatory Classification and Labelling (GB MCL) list, which can change the required classification for specific substances. If you've seen headlines about "CLP changes coming in 2026," our guide to GB CLP changes 2026 — what UK craft sellers actually need to know separates the GB rules from the EU-only rules and gives you a practical ingredient-check to see whether any of the changes affect your product range.

Quick CLP Compliance Checklist

Use this to check whether your existing labels meet GB CLP requirements:

1. Every hazardous product has a label with all six required elements (product identifier, supplier details, nominal quantity, pictograms, signal word, H/P statements)
2. Classification is based on your actual formulation and your suppliers' SDS data — not copied from another seller
3. Supplier details on the label show the name, address and telephone number of the supplier placing the product on the market — you, when you make and sell it
4. Pictograms are printed at the minimum required size for your label dimensions
5. Signal word matches the highest severity hazard category on the product
6. All required H-statements and P-statements are present and correct for the classification
7. Hazardous ingredient identities are listed where required
8. If you sell into the EU or NI, a UFI code is present on the label for those products (not required for GB-only sales)
9. Labels are legible, durable, and firmly affixed to the packaging
10. You retain records of your classification rationale and SDS documents

Not sure where your labels stand? Try our free CLP Label Checker to identify gaps. If any item fails, your label needs updating before the product goes on sale. For the fuller picture behind the checklist, see what CLP compliant actually means. If you're evaluating tools to help with this process, our guide to what to look for in a CLP label generator covers the seven features that matter most.

If you'd rather stop doing this classification work product by product, you can have CraftCert draft these labels from your formulations — see pricing for what's covered at each plan level.

Sources

• Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 — Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (retained GB law)
• legislation.gov.uk — GB CLP, Article 17 (label elements)
• legislation.gov.uk — GB CLP, Article 18 (product identifiers)
• legislation.gov.uk — GB CLP, Article 28 (precautionary statements)
• legislation.gov.uk — GB CLP, Annex I (Tables 3.4.5 and 3.4.7, skin sensitisation)
• HSE — The GB CLP Regulation
• HSE — Chemical Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Guidance Hub
• HSE — CLP Labelling and Packaging Requirements
• HSE — GB CLP Enforcement
• GOV.UK (DHSC) — Submitting chemicals information to the National Poisons Information Service (GB/NI UFI and poison-centre position)