UKA trader said the product was handmade but it wasn't. Is this a criminal offence?
Yes, falsely claiming a product is handmade can be a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which prohibit misleading actions.
What the Law Says
The law treats false 'handmade' claims as potentially criminal if they mislead consumers about a key characteristic of the product.
Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, it is a criminal offence for a trader to engage in a 'misleading action' — including making false or deceptive statements about a product's nature, characteristics, or method of manufacture.
A claim that a product is 'handmade' strongly implies it was made by hand rather than by machine or mass production. If this is untrue and likely to affect a consumer’s decision to buy, it breaches Regulation 5.
The offence is strict liability — meaning intent to deceive is not required. It is enough that the statement was misleading and made in the course of business.
Statutory TextA commercial practice is a misleading action if it contains false information and is therefore untruthful...
— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Reg. 5 — Misleading actions
Statutory TextA commercial practice is misleading if it deceives or is likely to deceive the average consumer...
— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Reg. 5 — Misleading actions
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.