Call For Urgent Reform of UK Hallmarking Law
Time to Address Digital Jewellery Trade: UK Assay Offices Open letter urges consultation to modernise the Hallmarking Act 1973 and strengthen consumer protection in online marketplaces! In a unified appeal to policymakers, the four UK Assay Offices—Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield—supported by the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), have sounded a clear warning: the UK’s hallmarking legislation is no longer fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving digital retail landscape. Through a formal open letter, the Assay Offices underline that hallmarking remains one of the most trusted safeguards for consumers purchasing precious metal jewellery. However, they argue that the Hallmarking Act 1973, drafted long before e-commerce, social media selling and global online marketplaces became mainstream, is struggling to regulate how jewellery is bought and sold. The letter highlights a growing regulatory gap, where sign...