Consumer Protection Act 1987

16 Forfeiture: England and Wales and Northern Ireland. U.K.

(1) An enforcement authority in England and Wales or Northern Ireland may apply under this section for an order for the forfeiture of any goods on the grounds that there has been a contravention in relation to the goods of a safety provision.

(2) An application under this section may be made—

(a) where proceedings have been brought in a magistrates’ court for an offence in respect of a contravention in relation to some or all of the goods of any safety provision, to that court;

(b) where an application with respect to some or all of the goods has been made to a magistrates’ court under section 15 above or section 33 below, to that court; and

(c) where no application for the forfeiture of the goods has been made under paragraph (a) or (b) above, by way of complaint to a magistrates’ court.

(3) On an application under this section the court shall make an order for the forfeiture of any goods only if it is satisfied that there has been a contravention in relation to the goods of a safety provision.

(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is declared that a court may infer for the purposes of this section that there has been a contravention in relation to any goods of a safety provision if it is satisfied that any such provision has been contravened in relation to goods which are representative of those goods (whether by reason of being of the same design or part of the same consignment or batch or otherwise).

(5) Any person aggrieved by an order made under this section by a magistrates’ court, or by a decision of such a court not to make such an order, may appeal against that order or decision—

(a) in England and Wales, to the Crown Court;

(b) in Northern Ireland, to the county court;

and an order so made may contain such provision as appears to the court to be appropriate for delaying the coming into force of the order pending the making and determination of any appeal (including any application under section 111 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 or Article 146 of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (statement of case)).

(6) Subject to subsection (7) below, where any goods are forfeited under this section they shall be destroyed in accordance with such directions as the court may give.

(7) On making an order under this section a magistrates’ court may, if it considers it appropriate to do so, direct that the goods to which the order relates shall (instead of being destroyed) be released, to such person as the court may specify, on condition that that person—

(a) does not supply those goods to any person otherwise than as mentioned in section 46(7)(a) or (b) below; and

(b) complies with any order to pay costs or expenses (including any order under section 35 below) which has been made against that person in the proceedings for the order for forfeiture.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. II applied in part (with modifications) (20.5.2016) by The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/507), regs. 1(2), 53(3)

C2 Ss. 14-18 amended (3.10.1994) by S.I. 1994/2328, reg. 11(b)

S. 16 excluded (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/2326, reg. 4(1) (which said S.I. 1994/2326 was revoked (15.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1144, reg. 1(2), Sch. 11 para. 3)

S. 16 restricted (1.1.1995 until end of 1996) by S.I. 1996/2326, reg. 5

S. 16 restricted (24.2.1995) by S.I. 1995/204, reg. 10(11)

S. 16 applied (with modifications) (9.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3260, reg. 13(1)

S. 16 excluded (7.6.2000) by S.I. 2000/1315, reg. 19(2)

S. 16 restricted (13.6.2002) by S.I. 2002/618, reg. 62

S. 16 modified (13.6.2002) by S.I. 2002/618, reg. 63

S. 16 applied (with modifications) (15.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1144, regs. 2(2), 16(1)-(3), Sch. 10 paras. 1, 3

C3 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (17.8.2015) by The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1553), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(c), 2

C4 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1091), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1, 2 (with regs. 74, 75(5))

C5 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1105), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(c), 2 (with reg. 88)

C6 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1092), reg. 1, Sch. 5 paras. 1(c), 2 (with reg. 3)

C7 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1101), reg. 1, Sch. 3 paras. 1, 2 (with reg. 3)

C8 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Lifts Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1093), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(c), 2 (with regs. 3-5)

C9 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (3.8.2017) by The Recreational Craft Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/737), reg. 1, Sch. 13 paras. 1(c), 2 (with reg. 89)

C10 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (26.12.2017) by The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206), reg. 1, Sch. 10 paras. 1, 2 (with regs. 3-5, 77)

C11 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (21.4.2018) by The Gas Appliances (Enforcement) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/389), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 2)

C12 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (21.4.2018) by The Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/390), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 2(1)-(3))

C13 S. 16 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (16.7.2021) by The Market Surveillance (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/858), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 paras. 1, 2 (with reg. 3)