Methodology

The PFH Checked standard

Last updated 25 September 2026

PFH Checked means an independent lab has confirmed, on units we bought ourselves, that nothing touching your food, drink or skin is plastic — and the brand has disclosed every material in the product. It lasts 12 months and must be re-earned every year.

The six criteria

No plastic in contact parts. No component that touches food, drink or skin is plastic under our definition. Silicone counts.
Full disclosure. The brand gives us a complete bill of materials for every component, including coatings, linings, seals, adhesives and inks.
Lab verification. An independent lab identifies each component's material by FTIR spectroscopy, on units we bought anonymously at retail.
Plastic-free retail packaging. No plastic in what the customer receives, including windows, tape and labels. Any plastic in transit packaging is declared.
Honest claims. On-pack and online claims about plastic are accurate, specific and consistent with the CMA Green Claims Code.
Ongoing compliance. The brand tells us within 30 days of any change in material or supplier, and we re-test a fresh retail unit every 12 months.

How it works

Step	What happens	Typical time
1. Apply	The brand applies on our For brands page and signs our testing terms.	Day 0
2. Pay the flat fee	Published, paid up front, and the same whether the product passes or fails.	Day 0–5
3. Document review	We check the bill of materials and supplier declarations.	2 weeks
4. Retail purchase	We buy units anonymously from at least two retailers.	1–2 weeks
5. Lab testing	An ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab tests each component.	3–4 weeks
6. Right of reply	The brand sees the findings and has 10 working days to respond.	2 weeks
7. Decision	We publish the result, the date and the expiry.	Week 8–10

Fees

Initial check: £750 per product (up to eight components). Extra components are charged at the lab's cost.
Annual re-check: £350 per product.

Fees cover lab costs, retail purchases and staff time. They do not buy a result. A brand that fails can re-apply after fixing the issue, and pays again.

If a product fails

Products that brands submit can be withdrawn before we publish a fail. Products we test on our own initiative — in our research studies — are always published, pass or fail, after right of reply.

Using the mark

A PFH Checked brand may use the mark only on the exact product and version that passed, always with the check date or a link to its page on this site. The mark is withdrawn if the annual re-check lapses, if the product changes without notice, or if the brand makes claims the check does not support. Misuse is published in our corrections log.

What PFH Checked does not mean

It does not mean a product is healthier, safer or better for the planet than every alternative. It means the plastic-free claim has been independently verified to this standard.