Key takeaway
What This Development Means
The UK has amended Schedule 1 to the Internal Market Act 2020 to exclude laws that prohibit the sale of glue traps from the market access principles, supporting consistent application of sales bans across the UK.
What do these regulations change in the UK Internal Market Act 2020?
The regulations amend Schedule 1 (exclusions from market access principles) to add a specific exclusion for legislation that prohibits the sale of glue traps. This means the UK market access principles do not apply to, and do not affect the operation of, sales prohibitions for glue traps across the UK.
Why does an “exclusion from market access principles” matter in practice?
The UK Internal Market Act’s market access principles are designed to support trade within the UK by limiting certain barriers between nations. By carving out an exclusion for glue trap sales bans, the regulations help ensure that a prohibition adopted in one part of the UK is not undermined by the internal market rules, supporting enforcement and policy intent where glue traps are restricted.
The UK has made regulations amending the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 so that legislation prohibiting the sale of glue traps is excluded from the Act’s market access principles, a legal change intended to allow such prohibitions to operate without being constrained by internal market rules.
The instrument, titled the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles: Glue Traps) Regulations 2026, was made on 29 January 2026 and is due to come into force on 20 February 2026. It extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What The Regulations Do
The regulations amend Schedule 1 to the 2020 Act, which lists exclusions from the market access principles. A new paragraph is inserted to provide that the market access principles do not apply to legislation so far as it prohibits the sale of glue traps.
For the purposes of the exclusion, a “glue trap” is defined as any trap designed, or capable of being used, to catch an animal other than an invertebrate and which uses an adhesive substance as the means, or one of the means, of capture.
Why This Matters For Businesses
The market access principles are a key feature of the Internal Market Act, intended to facilitate trade within the UK. When a product is lawfully sold in one part of the UK, the principles can, in certain circumstances, limit the ability of another part of the UK to restrict its sale. Creating an explicit exclusion removes that tension for glue traps, supporting the operation of prohibitions where they exist.
For manufacturers, distributors and retailers of pest control products, the practical implication is that glue trap sales restrictions can be enforced as standalone prohibitions, rather than being assessed through the lens of internal market access rules. Businesses with multi-nation supply chains should therefore review product catalogues and customer guidance to ensure sales channels align with any applicable bans.
Summary
By excluding glue trap sales bans from the UK internal market access principles, the 2026 regulations aim to ensure that prohibitions on glue trap sales can function effectively across the UK’s devolved legal landscape. Companies that sell pest control products should monitor how prohibitions are implemented and enforced, and adjust distribution and compliance processes accordingly.
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