The short version
If you serve beer, lager or cider in a pint or half-pint glass or cup on licensed premises in Great Britain, the vessel needs a UKCA mark at the legal fill line. The mark is the manufacturer's declaration that the cup holds the stated measure within the tolerance set by the Measuring Instruments Regulations. It is not optional, and trading standards can and do enforce it.
What UKCA actually covers
UKCA stands for UK Conformity Assessed. Since 1 January 2021 it replaced CE marking for goods sold in Great Britain in regulated categories. For pint and half-pint serving vessels the relevant requirement is the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016, which sets:
- A defined fill capacity. 568ml for a pint, 284ml for a half pint, measured to the fill line, not to the brim.
- A tolerance. The actual contents at the fill line must sit within plus or minus a defined volume across batch samples.
- A permanent mark. The UKCA mark, the fill line and the manufacturer identifier must be clearly visible and not removable through cleaning or normal use.
The third point is where a lot of low-cost imports trip up. A UKCA mark printed onto the cup wall in ink can scrub off in a commercial dishwasher across a season. That is non-compliant from the moment the mark fades enough to read ambiguously.
UKCA vs CE
The technical content of the two regimes is almost identical for serving vessels. CE is the EU equivalent, UKCA is the GB equivalent. Cups sold in Northern Ireland still use CE under the Windsor Framework. Cups sold across both markets, which is the norm for most stadiums and festival operators with cross-border programmes, carry both marks side by side. All our pint, half-pint and two-pint moulds carry both as standard so the same cup can be served either side of the Irish Sea without a labelling change.
Why a moulded mark beats a printed one
Every pint, half-pint and two-pint cup we make has the UKCA mark, CE mark, the fill line and the manufacturer identifier moulded directly into the cup wall during the injection step. They are not printed, they are part of the geometry of the cup. Three consequences follow:
- The mark cannot wear off. No matter how many dishwasher cycles the cup goes through, the embossed mark stays legible.
- The print artwork is independent of the compliance mark. You can change the IML or screen-printed branding on a venue cup season by season without touching the legal mark.
- Trading standards inspections pass cleanly. Inspectors look for a permanent mark in the right position. A moulded mark is the highest-confidence option.
What this means for your order
For most customers UKCA compliance happens automatically. Pints, half pints and two pints from our personalised range, and from the unbranded stock range, are all UKCA marked at the fill line by default. You do not need to ask for it, you cannot opt out of it, and it costs nothing extra.
You can opt out of UKCA only by buying a pint-to-brim cup, which is not a legal measure for beer service and is therefore marketed as a soft drinks / mixer cup. That is the right cup for festival mocktails, soft drink kiosks and water stations, where the marked-line legal vessel is not required. The pint to line vs pint to brim article covers when to use each.
What to ask any cup supplier
Three questions cover it. Is the UKCA mark moulded or printed? Where on the cup wall is the fill line? Will the cup still meet tolerance after 200 wash cycles? A direct manufacturer answers each of these on the spot. If you need anything cleared with your local licensing officer before placing an order, send us the question through info@personalised-cups.co.uk and we will respond in writing.
