Editorial Policy

Microplastic Free UK is committed to providing accurate, transparent, and useful information about microplastics in consumer products. This page explains our editorial standards, how we research and verify content, and how we handle corrections.

Our Standards

All product assessments on this site are based on publicly available ingredient data, manufacturer disclosures, and published research. We do not conduct laboratory testing ourselves. Because product formulations can change without notice, we use cautious language throughout — phrases like "based on available data" and "at the time of review" reflect the inherent limitations of desk-based ingredient analysis.

We never make absolute safety claims. Our role is to present the best available evidence clearly so that UK consumers can make informed purchasing decisions.

Research Process

Every product and article on this site goes through a multi-step verification process:

1. Ingredient analysis — We examine manufacturer-provided ingredient lists, material safety data sheets, and product packaging to identify synthetic polymers and microplastic-shedding materials.
2. Cross-referencing with published research — Findings are checked against peer-reviewed studies, ECHA substance databases, and academic papers on microplastic release from specific materials.
3. UK retailer verification — Product availability and specifications are verified against current UK retailer listings (Amazon.co.uk, John Lewis, and others) to ensure recommendations are accessible to UK consumers.
4. Automated fact-checking — Our pipeline validates product data structure, field completeness, UK retailer presence, date staleness, and cross-references between articles and products. Products not reviewed within 90 days are automatically flagged for re-verification.

Citation Standards

All articles cite primary sources. Where available, we include DOI links to peer-reviewed studies so readers can verify claims directly. Studies are verified via the Crossref API before inclusion to ensure references are genuine and accurately attributed. We do not fabricate references or cite sources we have not reviewed.

Content Updates

Products are reviewed when formulations change, new research emerges, or our fact-checking pipeline flags stale data. All articles carry both publication and last-updated dates so readers can assess how recently content was reviewed. Products not verified within 90 days are flagged for priority review.

Corrections

Errors are corrected promptly. When a material correction is made, the article's "last updated" date is revised to reflect the change. If you spot an inaccuracy or have information about a product formulation change, please contact us at hello@microplasticfree.co.uk.

Independence

Microplastic Free UK does not accept payment for product reviews or editorial coverage. There is no affiliate tracking on product links — we do not earn commission when you click through to a retailer. Our recommendations are based solely on ingredient analysis and available evidence. See our disclosure page for full details on how this site is funded.

Last updated: April 2026