Safety Labels Explained: Do You Still Need Them If You Already Have CLP?

Short answer: yes.

Having a CLP label does not remove the need for additional safety information. CLP and safety labelling serve different purposes, and one does not replace the other.

This is a common area of confusion for home fragrance products, particularly candles, wax melts, diffusers and room sprays.

What CLP covers (and what it does not)

CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation) deals with chemical hazards. It is designed to communicate risks such as:

• toxicity
• skin or eye irritation
• flammability
• environmental harm

CLP answers questions like:

• Is this product hazardous?
• What are the chemical risks?
• What precautions relate to exposure to the substance itself?

CLP does not explain how a finished consumer product should be used safely in real-world conditions.

What CLP does not cover

CLP does not tell a customer:

• how to burn a candle safely
• how to use a wax melt burner correctly
• what surfaces a diffuser liquid may damage
• how close a flame should be to fabrics
• how a product may be misused in a foreseeable way

Those risks sit outside chemical classification and fall under product safety law instead.

Why safety labels exist

Safety labels exist to address foreseeable use and misuse of a product.

In the candle industry, harmonised standards such as BS EN 15494 were introduced to create:

• consistent safety messaging
• universally recognisable icons
• minimum safety expectations across the industry

These symbols are not decorative. They are intended to communicate key safety points quickly and consistently.

CLP and safety labels are not interchangeable

It helps to think of it like this:

• CLP labels communicate chemical hazard
• Safety labels communicate safe use

A product can be CLP-compliant and still be unsafe if no usage instructions or warnings are provided. Equally, a product with excellent safety instructions but no CLP information may still be non-compliant if it contains hazardous substances.

In many cases, both are required.

GPSR: the wider product safety framework

The General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) apply to almost everything sold to consumers in the UK. GPSR sits over the top of product-specific rules and requires businesses to place only safe products on the market.

In practice, this includes providing:

• clear instructions for safe use
• warnings about foreseeable misuse
• manufacturer/business name and address (where required)
• warnings for risks not covered by CLP

GPSR applies in addition to CLP, not instead of it.

Examples of risks covered by safety labels, not CLP

CLP will not tell a customer:

• not to use wax melts in plastic burners
• not to overfill a melt dish
• not to leave an electric warmer unattended
• that diffuser liquid may damage polished surfaces
• not to hang a car diffuser where it obstructs visibility
• not to spray room sprays directly onto fabrics or pets

These are use-related risks, not chemical classification issues. Under GPSR, they still need to be addressed.

Product-specific safety information: what is typically expected

Candles

• standard candle safety icons (BS EN 15494)
• burn supervision and surface guidance
• distance from flammable materials
• wick trimming advice

Wax melts

• use only in suitable burners
• do not use in plastic warmers
• do not overfill the dish
• never leave unattended
• keep out of reach of children and pets

Reed diffusers

• liquid may stain or damage surfaces
• keep upright to prevent leaks
• avoid contact with skin and eyes
• keep away from pets

Room sprays

• spray away from face
• ventilate after use
• avoid polished or delicate surfaces
• keep away from pets

Car diffusers

• do not obstruct driver visibility
• avoid high temperatures
• clean spills immediately

Electric burners

• do not cover ventilation
• do not leave unattended
• keep away from flammable materials

Common mistakes that cause problems

• assuming CLP covers all safety requirements
• omitting manufacturer or business details where required
• including excessive text in unreadably small font
• copying safety wording without checking it applies to the product
• failing to warn about obvious misuse

Under GPSR, failing to warn about foreseeable misuse is a compliance risk.

Do you always need separate safety labels?

Not always.

In some cases, safety information can be combined with CLP. In others, it is more practical to provide instructions on a secondary label, a care card, or a small instruction leaflet.

The goal is not over-labelling. The goal is clear, accessible safety information.

Key takeaway

CLP tells people what the chemical hazards are. Safety labels tell people how to use the finished product safely. GPSR expects you to have considered both.

CLP and safety labels are not interchangeable, and many products need both.