The Government – which had been lobbied heavily by UK trade organisations to delay the introduction of the UKCA mark – says that the delay “recognises the impact of the [Covid-19] pandemic on businesses” and will provide them with “clarity and certainty”.

The UKCA mark replaces the product safety labelling that the UK used when it was a member of the EU – mainly the CE mark. Despite the delay, the government emphasises that “businesses must take action to ensure they are ready to apply UKCA marking by 1 January, 2023, the final deadline”.

Northern Ireland will continue to recognise the CE mark for goods placed on the market there, but businesses will need to use the UKNI mark if they use a UK Conformity Assessment Body to test their products.

Reacting to the government’s announcement, Fergus McReynolds, director of EU and international affairs at the manufacturers’ organisation, Make UK, said the move would come “as a huge relief to industry and is a vital lifeline to protect supply chains.

“Companies were becoming increasingly nervous as the clock ticked down to the end of the year,” he added, “caught up in the delays and bureaucracy in getting their products tested. The extra year will provide both exporters and importers with valuable breathing space to enable a new testing system to bed in place.”