The All-Party Parliamentary Group has announced that it is kicking off an inquiry to take a look at how product safety can be better guaranteed in the UK when it comes to online marketplaces and the supply chain more generally.

Most of us make a large portion of our purchases digitally and yet UK consumer protection law is seen as lagging behind. Trading Standards is of the view that this is particularly so in the case of online marketplaces, where illegal vapes or fraudulent stamps can be found with relative ease. These high profile cases, along with the well documented supply-chain squeeze and the impact this has on all actors up and down the chain, have spurred on the review.

One of the objectives of the inquiry is to determine "what needs to happen" in terms of legislative changes in order to tackle current issues. As a consequence stakeholders need to keep a close eye on this, a group which of course includes online marketplaces providers but also other consumer goods business up and down the supply chain. At all levels, businesses could see additional responsibility placed on them in terms of making sure consumer products entering the UK are up to scratch.

This announcement comes not too long after the introduction of the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill to parliament. The Bill proposes measures to tackle fake online reviews, "subscription traps", and provides the Competition and Markets Authority with direct enforcement powers (including the imposition of financial penalties of up to 10% of turnover).

What's clear is that after a period of relative quiet, the consumer goods landscape is going to change dramatically over the next few years - and for the UK in a potentially divergent way from the EU - and the changes will be relevant to both large and small players in the sector. Understanding the delta between the UK and EU will become paramount for all involved in importing and exporting.