The UK Government has launched an important consultation on the future of the UK Designs Framework - the laws that protect the look, feel, and originality of products. This review includes proposals on registered and unregistered designs, first disclosure, digital and CAD design, AI-generated content, and the enforcement mechanisms available to UK businesses.
For BHETA members, many of whom depend on design innovation to stand out in the competitive DIY, housewares, garden and small electrical sectors, this consultation represents a pivotal moment and an opportunity to have your say. The outcome could significantly influence how effectively you can defend your designs against copying - whether from overseas manufacturers or online sellers.
The Consultation deadline is 27th November so act fast.
Why This Matters to BHETA Members
Our members regularly report issues with third-party suppliers—often based overseas—copying designs and reselling them internationally and into the UK market, taking advantage of rapid e-commerce channels. Many smaller companies also highlight the escalating risk of AI-driven copying, where designs, imagery and wording can be replicated or adapted in seconds.
Given these challenges, this consultation is a rare and valuable opportunity for BHETA members to help shape a design rights system that is:
- Robust and future-proof, particularly against online and AI-enabled copying
- Accessible and affordable for SMEs, who are disproportionately impacted
- Clearer and simpler, reducing administrative burdens and legal ambiguity
- Strongly enforced, with meaningful deterrents for intentional copying
BHETA’s Aim in Responding
BHETA will be submitting a formal response to Government on behalf of the membership. Our core objectives are to:
- Advocate for practical, enforceable protections for design-led SMEs
- Improve the speed and affordability of pursuing infringers
- Ensure the law reflects modern digital design processes
- Strengthen the position of UK suppliers in a globalised, online marketplace
- Highlight the vulnerability of SMEs to “David & Goliath” disputes
To achieve this we would like to include your feedback on any of the topics detailed above. In the first instance email Steve Richardson, BHETA Marketing Director, directly – sr@bheta.co.uk by the 25th November.
Working with ACID to Support Members
BHETA has along-standing collaborative relationship with Anti-Copying in Design (ACID) - a BHETA affiliate member and one of the UK’s leading campaigning organisations for design protection.
ACID provides:
- Guidance and templates for designers to understand and secure their IP
- Support for SMEs facing copying disputes
- Practical tools for documenting and evidencing design ownership
At the Exclusively Show, ACID partners with BHETA each year to provide on-site adjudication and expert guidance on copyright and design disputes between exhibitors. Their presence ensures a trusted, rapid resolution process—something valued highly by exhibitors who want clarity when issues arise.
ACID’s message aligns closely with BHETA members’ concerns: that without stronger safeguards—particularly for unregistered design rights—SMEs remain exposed to unfair exploitation.
In addition and to support the campaign: Write to Your MP
Government consultations carry greater weight when policymakers hear directly from businesses impacted by design infringement.
BHETA strongly encourages members to write to their MP, highlighting:
- The importance of design rights to your business
- The challenges you face from copying
- The need for accessible, SME-friendly enforcement
- The importance of protecting unregistered design rights
To support you, BHETA has prepared a simple template letter that you can personalise and send to your MP.
Download the Template Letter Here
Your voice will help ensure that the UK design framework evolves in a way that protects and supports genuine innovators.
Click here to view the Government consultation page
Next Steps
👉 BHETA will continue to monitor the consultation, work closely with ACID, and keep members informed as the policy develops.
👉 We will share our full consultation response with members on 26th November, ahead of submission on 27th November.
👉 If you have experience of being copied—or if you would like to discuss how design protection affects your business—please contact Steve Richardson, BHETA Marketing Director, at sr@bheta.co.uk.
