[2026] Legal obligations for selling scented candles and wax melts

Article updated on 30/12/25. This article is written in line with French and European standards, while touching on some aspects specific to other countries along the way. Local adjustments may therefore be needed depending on the jurisdiction.

Any product placed on the market that may pose a risk to health or the environment must come with an individual safety data sheet and CLP-compliant labelling.

At a time when the quality and safety of consumer products matter more than ever, it is essential to understand and comply with the regulations in force for scented candles and wax melts. In this article, we walk you through every requirement you need to meet.

Whether you are a private individual or a professional, this article will help you find your way through the legal obligations, the regulations and the labelling your products need.

We will cover the different situations you may face, the risks to health and the environment, and the steps to take to make sure your products are compliant. Finally, we will present some innovative solutions to make CLP labelling easier.

Who do handmade candle regulations apply to?

The rules that apply depend on your situation. If you plan to sell your creations, you should know that there are many regulations to comply with. We set them out in this article.

I'm a private individual

If you make scented candles or wax melts privately, for your own use or for family and friends, you have no particular obligations, apart from observing the precautions for use and safety rules (or reminding your loved ones of them), such as storing your products away from light and out of the reach of children.

I'm a professional

If you sell candles or wax melts, whether from home, at a market or in a shop, you must comply with the regulations in force. CLP, UFI and SDS are three mandatory elements. But here's the good news: in some cases, you won't need to make a UFI declaration. Read on to find out why.

Please note: the DGCCRF (the French Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) regularly inspects points of sale, both physical and online.

Legal obligations for candles and wax melts

As mentioned above, any product placed on the market must have an individual safety data sheet and CLP-compliant labelling. Before going any further, it is essential to understand the difference between these two elements and the role each one plays.

The safety data sheet (SDS)

The safety data sheet, usually abbreviated to SDS, plays a central role in the regulation of candles and scented products. It is far more than a mere administrative document: it is a genuine tool for prevention, traceability and compliance. It describes the product's composition according to criteria set by the European Community, its hazards and its chemical behaviour, as well as the precautions to take to use, store and dispose of it safely.

Which products must come with an SDS? The key points to remember

• If your candle contains a fragrance, dye, additive or any other product classified as hazardous, you must hold an SDS. Terre de Bougies provides this sheet free of charge for its fragrances at 7% and 10% dosage, in Word format in the compliance section, and at other dosages for specific ranges. The SDS for the raw product is available as a PDF, but you may not reuse it under your own name (except at 100% dosage).
  
  
• If your product contains no chemical or hazard-classified ingredient, you will still need an SDS to justify why no hazard information appears on the label. Example: Choco hazelnuts fragrance.
  
  
• If you want to create your own fragrance blends or use a dosage other than 7% or 10%, you will have to draw up a new SDS. Terre de Bougies offers a specialist (paid) service to produce your safety data sheets, so you can be sure of full compliance with the regulations in force.

In every case, we strongly recommend keeping the SDSs for your raw materials so that you can demonstrate their safety in the event of an inspection.

What is a CLP label and how do you make one?

As we have seen, all products classified as chemicals that are placed on the market must have an individual safety data sheet. They must also carry CLP-compliant labelling.

The CLP Regulation (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) is a European regulation that informs consumers of risks to health and the environment. It is the European version of the international GHS: while the GHS is optional depending on the country, CLP is mandatory throughout Europe.

It sets out the hazards relating to releases into the environment, allergies, irritation (skin, eyes) and respiratory problems. Every CLP product must be packaged so as to avoid any direct contact with the consumer. For sales to professionals, the safety data sheet must be passed on. For private customers, it is supplied on request.

What must a CLP-compliant label include?

Your CLP label must include certain mandatory information, most of which you will find in section 2.2 of your SDS.

• Product name, which must be the same as on the SDS
• The signal word: Danger or Warning
• Hazard statements, if any (e.g. H317)
• Precautionary statements (e.g. P102)
• Hazard pictograms, which must be a specific size and in colour (an order of precedence means you don't have to show them all). See section 3.2.3 of the CLP handbook, page 38.
• UFI code (where applicable)
• The nominal quantity of the product (unless this information is given elsewhere on the packaging)
• Your supplier contact details (your name, address and telephone number)
• A section for supplemental information (EUH0xx statements, EUH2xx statements, further details on certain precautionary statements)
  
  

Example of a CLP label

Hazard statements and precautionary statements: what must appear on the CLP label?

Now that you have seen our example label showing all the information to display, let's take a closer look at hazard statements (e.g. H319) and precautionary statements (e.g. P101). When labelling a scented candle that contains substances classified as hazardous, you must show the hazard statements (H) and precautionary statements (P) in full.

Code and wording

• The code (e.g. H317, P102) is a technical identifier.
• The wording is the plain-language statement to display

Only the wording is mandatory on the label. The code may be added, but never on its own. In practice, both are usually shown.

Where precautionary statements are required, at least one P1 statement (P101, P102 or P103) must be shown.

• P102 (Keep out of reach of children)
• P101 (If medical advice is needed…)
• P103 (Read label before use)

In practice

Precautionary statement P102, for example, is there to protect children. Even though it is optional, we strongly recommend including it on your labels. Why? Because if an accident involving children occurs and you have not included this statement, case law will not be on your side. In other words, adding it gives you better legal protection, even if it is not a strict obligation.

Where should you put a CLP label?

The label must be firmly affixed to one or more surfaces of the packaging in direct contact with the product, and must be readable horizontally when the package is set down normally. Its colour and presentation must make the hazard pictograms clearly visible, so that they stand out from the background.

Layout of label elements and multilingual labels

The hazard pictograms, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements and supplemental information section must be grouped together.

On a multilingual label, the hazard statements and precautionary statements are grouped by language. Label elements must be written in the official language or languages of the Member State or States where the product is placed on the market, unless the Member State or States concerned provide otherwise. Be sure to check.

Please note: if you buy your raw materials abroad, you must be able to produce a safety data sheet in French and have product labelling that complies with the CLP Regulation (not the GHS). Your supplier must be able to provide you with these documents.

What do the hazard pictograms mean?

When a product (such as a scented candle) contains a mixture of chemical substances, it may fall into several hazard classes at once (e.g. flammable, irritant, hazardous to the environment…). The CLP Regulation sets an order of precedence for pictograms to avoid redundancy, so that you don't have to display them all. To see this order, go to page 66 of the CLP handbook.

What is the regulatory size of a CLP label for candles?

Where possible, the CLP label must measure at least 74 x 52 mm.

If a product is too small to take a sufficiently large label, you may use a smaller label carrying less CLP information, provided certain conditions are met: see the chapter on derogations in the CLP handbook, page 86.

New CLP rules and their impact on SDSs: what you need to know

Taking endocrine disruptors and nanoparticles into account has been mandatory for substances since 2025, and becomes mandatory for mixtures in 2026.

This means that SDSs will have to be updated, even for products that contain neither endocrine disruptors nor nanoparticles, since the SDS will have to state this clearly.

CLP 2023/707 does not cover allergens or IFRA.

These rules are mandatory from 1 May 2026 for any new product placed on the market from that date, with a transition period for products already on sale before then.

We therefore advise you to check the official sources listed at the bottom of this page regularly.

The risks if you are inspected

Failing to meet these obligations can have serious criminal and administrative consequences (fines of up to €50,000 and 3 years' imprisonment).

An SDS remains valid as long as neither the product's composition nor the regulations change. It must be updated whenever the formula, the CLP classification or the regulations change. We therefore strongly recommend regularly checking the SDSs on your suppliers' websites to make sure you have the latest version.

How can you avoid CLP labelling and a UFI declaration?

Certain conditions or exceptions may apply to the above. You may have asked yourself a few questions while reading this article: the answers you are looking for are very likely here.

I often see scented candles in supermarkets without CLP labelling. Why?

A handmade candle or wax melt has little in common with the mass-produced items you find in supermarkets. The main difference lies in the composition, especially the quality and percentage of fragrance used.

Whereas handmade creations favour high-quality ingredients, industrial manufacturers often opt for lower-quality synthetic fragrances.

These fragrances are used at low concentrations. This choice limits the scent throw, but lets manufacturers stay below the classification thresholds set by the CLP Regulation. In this way, they avoid the detailed labelling of components generally required for products containing more fragrance, while saving on the cost of the fragrance itself.

How do I know whether I can sell my candle without a CLP label?

In practical terms, the obligation to carry a CLP-compliant label applies to any of your creations that contain substances and mixtures classified as hazardous to health or the environment. A scented candle is considered a mixture, because it contains wax and a blend of fragrance substances.

You can sell your candle without having to comply with CLP labelling standards if, and only if, you meet these criteria:

• None of the substances used in your candle is classified as hazardous (flammable, toxic, irritant, sensitising, etc.) at the final concentration of the mixture.
  
  
• The fragrance you use is not classified as hazardous (you can check this in your product's SDS, from section 2 onwards), or you use a fragrance from the Boost 1% range at a dosage of no more than 1%, as recommended.

Note that if you sell the product, you will still have to affix a label showing at least the supplier's contact details, the weight of the product and the product identifiers.

The Boost 1% range: no complex CLP labelling and no UFI declaration

Terre de Bougies offers a practical way to lighten your CLP obligations and do away with the UFI declaration: the Boost range of 16 fragrances. Designed to be used at 1%, these fragrances require neither complex CLP labelling nor a UFI declaration, which makes it much easier to bring your candles to market. A word of caution, though: in some cases, allergenic substances may still need to be listed under EUH208.

This solution is ideal for making professional-quality scented candles while cutting costs and paperwork.

Where can you check that a product contains no substances classified as hazardous?

To make things clearer, here are two example safety data sheets for additives.

Look at section 2 of the product's safety data sheet. Here, you can see that vegetable stearin is not classified as “hazardous”.

For this additive, section 2 of the safety data sheet (SDS) shows H and P statements, which indicates that the product is classified.

Fine, but what if I combine several products into one?

If you use several products to make a single one (fragrance, dye, wax, additives, etc.), you will need to produce a safety data sheet for the finished product. It is this SDS that will show whether labelling is required. Everything depends on the quantities in the product. Even if an ingredient is classified in its concentrated form, the finished product will not necessarily be, depending on that ingredient's concentration. The same goes for fragrances: just because a fragrance is classified H315 does not mean the finished product will be.

If I sell a 100% beeswax candle, do I need a CLP label?

No. If you sell a beeswax candle that contains no classified fragrance, dye or additive, you will need neither full CLP labelling (only contact details, weight and product identifiers) nor a UFI declaration. The same applies to all other pure, unscented natural waxes. You will still need a label on your product showing the supplier's name, the weight and the product identifiers.

In short: getting your candle labelling and safety right

Knowing the regulations well brings peace of mind, protects your customers and adds value to your handmade creations. Finding your way through the regulations on candles and wax melts can seem complex, but the essentials are simple: make sure your products are safe and give your customers the right information. Now your candles can shine, fully within the law.

Conclusion

To stay compliant, keep one simple approach in mind: always start from the SDS of the finished product, check its classification, then build your label from the mandatory elements in section 2.2. If your formulation changes, update the SDS and the labelling. And if you want to simplify the process, solutions exist, provided you strictly follow the dosages and the recommendations that go with them.

Want to go further and sell your own household products? You will find the main obligations to know in our guide to detergent regulations and selling household products.

Sources:

- Read the handbook on the CLP Regulation.
- Everything you need to know about the CLP Regulation
- Eur-Lex source.
- CLP news from INERIS

Detergent regulations: how to sell your own household products

A custom label is essential for your candle!