Consumer Protection

Italy Adopts Legislative Decree 78/2026 to Implement EU General Product Safety Regulation

From 16 May 2026 Italy brings its national consumer protection framework into line with the EU General Product Safety Regulation by publishing Legislative Decree 78/2026, which adapts the Consumer Code and related market-surveillance provisions. This consolidates Italy’s horizontal product safety and enforcement regime for consumer goods, giving companies a single, updated reference point for general product safety obligations and how they will be enforced.

18 May 2026, 17:22gazzettaufficiale.itItaly

Japan CAA Commissioner Outlines Food Recall Trends and Subscription-Sales Enforcement (14 May 2026)

Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency used a 14 May 2026 press conference to highlight rising food recall notifications, launch new labelling-compliance leaflets and VR consumer-education videos, and disclose enforcement statistics against deceptive subscription e-commerce practices. These signals reinforce regulatory expectations on accurate food labelling and transparent online sales in Japan, suggesting continued scrutiny of food manufacturers and digital retailers rather than new legal obligations.

16 May 2026, 14:48caa.go.jpJapan

California Assembly Appropriations Committee Advances AB 1901 on Children’s Diaper Ingredient Disclosure

In May 2026 the California Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced AB 1901, a bill that would require full disclosure of all intentionally added ingredients in children’s diapers on websites and packaging from 2028–2029. If enacted, this would significantly increase chemical transparency and compliance obligations for diaper manufacturers and suppliers, including PFAS-related ingredients, and may foreshadow similar disclosure or restriction measures for other consumer products.

15 May 2026, 16:30leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Germany Bundestag Publishes Government Bill Implementing Directive (EU) 2024/1799 On Repair Of Goods

In May 2026 the German federal government formally submitted to the Bundestag a bill implementing Directive (EU) 2024/1799 on the promotion of repair of goods, introducing new right-to-repair and warranty provisions into the Civil Code. If adopted, this will require manufacturers and retailers of key consumer products to support longer product lifetimes through repair obligations, extended warranty periods, and clearer repair information, reinforcing circular-economy expectations ahead of the 31 July 2026 EU transposition deadline.

15 May 2026, 16:12dserver.bundestag.deGermanyEuropean Union

New York Assembly Bill A11360 Proposes Warning Labels for Infant Cosmetic Products Containing Carcinogens

In May 2026 New York lawmakers introduced Assembly bill A11360, which would impose new ingredient and cancer-warning labelling requirements on infant cosmetic products sold in the state. If enacted, manufacturers and distributors of baby lotions, creams, oils and similar products would need to review formulations against state carcinogen definitions, update packaging, and manage the risk of civil penalties for non-compliant labelling.

15 May 2026, 13:26assembly.state.ny.usUnited States

Australia House Of Representatives Passes Unfair Trading Practices Bill 2026 After Second Reading Amendment

Australia’s House of Representatives has agreed a government second reading amendment to the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026 and passed the bill to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, moving major unfair trading, drip pricing and subscription reforms further along the legislative process. Businesses selling goods and services to Australian consumers, particularly via digital and subscription models, should treat these horizontal consumer law changes as increasingly likely and start reviewing pricing transparency, interface design and cancellation pathways ahead of potential commencement.

15 May 2026, 12:02aph.gov.auAustralia

Delaware SB 297 Reported Out of Committee to Clarify Consumer Fraud Act Scope

Delaware lawmakers are advancing SB 297, which has been reported out of committee and would clarify that the state Consumer Fraud Act covers unfair or deceptive conduct before, during, and after a consumer transaction rather than only at the point of sale. If enacted, this would broaden enforcement and litigation risk for businesses’ ongoing customer communications, debt collection practices, and after-sales obligations in Delaware, requiring closer review of consumer-facing policies and procedures.

15 May 2026, 09:38legis.delaware.govUnited States

New Zealand Introduces Fair Trading Amendment Bill To Toughen Penalties For Misleading Pricing

New Zealand has introduced the Fair Trading Amendment Bill to sharply increase penalties for misleading pricing, create a safe harbour for online platforms that take down scam content, and streamline how mandatory product safety standards are updated, with the bill headed to a six-month Select Committee stage. This will materially raise enforcement and compliance risk for retailers and online service providers and could lead to faster changes in product safety standards for goods sold in New Zealand, so businesses should review pricing, promotion, and product-safety governance for this market.

14 May 2026, 10:16beehive.govt.nzNew Zealand

Poland’s UOKiK Fines Online Furniture Retailer Beliani €2 Million for Non-Cooperation

Poland’s competition and consumer authority has fined online furniture retailer Beliani €2 million for repeatedly ignoring information requests in a probe into its price promotions. The case signals that any company selling to Polish consumers must be able to evidence marketing claims and fully cooperate with UOKiK, as procedural non-compliance alone can trigger substantial financial penalties.

12 May 2026, 15:07uokik.gov.plPoland

California Senate Appropriations Committee Sets 14 May 2026 Hearing on SB 1365 Price Gouging Bill

California has scheduled a 14 May 2026 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on SB 1365, a bill to amend Business and Professions Code provisions and Penal Code Section 396 governing unlawful business practices and price gouging. If enacted, this measure could tighten constraints on how businesses and housing providers raise prices during emergencies in California, increasing compliance and reputational risk around pricing practices.

11 May 2026, 11:39leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

India Expands Mandatory Gold Jewellery Hallmarking To 385 Districts Via Second Amendment Order, 2026

India has issued a second amendment to its 2020 Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, expanding the list of districts where BIS hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts is mandatory from its April 2026 Gazette publication. This widens the reach of India’s gold purity regime, requiring jewellers and supply-chain actors in newly covered districts to ensure only BIS-hallmarked gold products are sold, with implications for licensing, inventory, and network planning.

11 May 2026, 11:34bis.gov.inIndia

EU Sets 2026 Deadlines for Right to Repair Directive and Online Withdrawal Button Rules

EU-wide consumer reforms will require manufacturers to support repair of key household electronics beyond the legal guarantee and oblige online retailers to add a simple online withdrawal button, with national laws due by mid-2026. These changes will push brands and retailers to design for longevity, expand repair networks, and simplify contract cancellation flows, reshaping after-sales strategies across the EU market.

10 May 2026, 19:00eur-lex.europa.euEuropean UnionSlovenia

Missouri Senate Proposes Labelling Rules for Products Marketed as Wood (SB1780)

Missouri has introduced SB1780, a bill that would restrict how products sold in the state can use "wood" and specific wood species names in marketing and labelling, with requirements tied to a proposed effective date of 28 August 2026. If enacted, manufacturers and retailers of furniture, construction materials, and other goods marketed as wood would need to verify decorative surfaces are genuine wood or clearly label composites, potentially triggering packaging redesign and SKU segregation for the Missouri market.

9 May 2026, 18:58senate.mo.govUnited States

California AB-1901 Diaper Ingredient Disclosure Bill Set For Assembly Appropriations Hearing On 14 May 2026

California's AB-1901, which would require manufacturers of children's diapers sold in the state to publicly disclose all intentionally added ingredients and related CAS numbers, is now scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on 14 May 2026. If it advances and is ultimately enacted, the bill would create new transparency and packaging obligations for diaper manufacturers and retailers by 2028–2029, signalling tighter scrutiny of chemicals in children's products and potential compliance impacts across supply chains.

9 May 2026, 14:20leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Alaska Senate Advances Digital Product Repair Bill SB111 to Third Reading

Alaska’s Senate is advancing SB111, a digital product repair bill that would require manufacturers of consumer digital products to provide independent repairers and owners with the same documentation, parts, tools, and software or firmware updates they give authorised service providers, with a planned effective date of 1 January 2027. If enacted, this would establish a state-level right-to-repair framework, forcing manufacturers that sell or lease consumer digital products in Alaska to redesign support and security practices, adjust parts and tool pricing, and treat violations as unfair trade practices under state consumer protection law.

9 May 2026, 14:12akleg.govUnited States

France DGCCRF Imposes €47,700 Fine on Carrefour Marzy for Missing Price Displays

France's consumer regulator has fined Carrefour €47,700 after an October 2025 inspection found hundreds of product categories without displayed prices at its Marzy hypermarket. This enforcement highlights active scrutiny of price information rules for large retailers in France, underscoring the need to audit in-store pricing displays and consumer information controls.

9 May 2026, 07:19economie.gouv.frFrance

EU Parliamentary Question on Digital Services Act Compliance of Meta and Google Ads for Dangerous Nutraceuticals

On 6 May 2026, an MEP submitted a priority written question asking the European Commission to investigate whether Meta and Google’s advertising of unregulated, potentially dangerous nutraceutical products breaches the EU Digital Services Act. This signals rising pressure to use the DSA’s platform obligations to police health-related advertising, which could tighten compliance expectations for online platforms and sellers of nutraceutical and similar products across the EU.

9 May 2026, 07:17europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

Missouri Senate Committee Reports Do Pass Substitute for HB 3004 on Wood Marketing Claims

Missouri's HB 3004, which would restrict misleading "wood" and wood-species marketing claims for decorative products, has advanced in the Senate with a committee-approved substitute that retains the core labelling rules and an August 2026 cut-off for new non-compliant stock entering the state. If enacted, manufacturers and retailers of furniture, flooring, cabinetry and similar wood-look products will face Missouri-specific packaging and marketing controls and should begin mapping affected SKUs and preparing compliant labelling.

8 May 2026, 06:57documents.house.mo.govUnited States

US CPSC Requests Information on Counterfeit Certification Markings on Consumer Products

In May 2026, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission opened a request for information on the prevalence, safety risks and economic impacts of counterfeit safety certification marks on consumer products, with comments due by 6 July 2026. The consultation will guide whether CPSC enhances enforcement or develops new policies on misuse of certification marks, so manufacturers, importers, laboratories and online marketplaces should assess their exposure and prepare evidence-based input.

8 May 2026, 06:44federalregister.govUnited States

UK Parliament Bill on Labelling for Reduced-Size Groceries

A UK Private Member's Bill proposes new labelling requirements for certain grocery products when manufacturers reduce pack size, and currently remains at first-reading stage with no published bill text. If it gains traction, this could create new UK packaging and product information duties for grocery and consumer-goods brands, requiring reviews of pack design and labelling practices around size changes.

8 May 2026, 06:32bills.parliament.ukUnited Kingdom