General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
Disclaimer
CloudSuite does not provide legal advice. The information on this page is intended to help you understand the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and what it may mean for your webshop. This way it is more part of the docs.
As a webshop owner, you are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations, including the GPSR. We advise you to check which specific obligations apply to your product range and situation, and if in doubt, seek legal advice.
What is GPSR
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a European Union (EU) law that strengthens product safety rules for non-food consumer products sold in the EU.
The regulation replaces an older General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) and became fully applicable on 13 December 2024.
Since the original directive was introduced, online sales and e-commerce have grown significantly. The GPSR updates the rules to make sure that products sold in the EU are safe, also when sold online.
The GPSR aims to ensure that:
- Products sold in the EU are safe for consumers
- Unsafe products can be removed from the market quickly
- Consumers receive clear safety information before making a purchase
The rules apply to both offline and online sales, including products sold through webshops and marketplaces.
Who does the GPSR apply to?
The GPSR applies to most non-food consumer products, such as:
- clothing
- electronics
- toys
- furniture
- sports items
- decoration products
The regulation does not apply to products already covered by other EU legislation, such as food, medicines, or live plants and animals.
If you sell these types of products through a webshop or online marketplace, the GPSR requirements apply.
Core objective of the GPSR
The goal of the GPSR is to make sure every consumer product sold in the EU is safe, traceable, and quickly removable from the market if it becomes dangerous.
What information must be shown in your webshop?
The regulation requires that customers online receive the same safety information as they would in a physical store.
For online shops, GPSR mainly means providing clear product information and making sure products can be traced.
| Product Information | |
|---|---|
| Product identification | Show the product name and identifying details, such as a model number or batch/serial number when available. |
| Manufacturer information | Display the manufacturer’s name and contact address so customers know who produced the product. |
| EU responsible operator | If the manufacturer is outside the EU, list the EU importer or responsible operator. |
| Safety information | Show relevant warnings, instructions, or age restrictions on the product page. |
| Product traceability | Keep records of suppliers and sales so products can be traced if needed. |
| Reporting unsafe products | If a product is unsafe, report it through the EU Safety Gate Rapid Alert System. |
| Product recalls | If a product must be recalled, inform customers and offer repair, replacement, or a refund. |
Does GPSR also apply to B2B?
The GPSR primarily focuses on consumer safety. However, if you sell products B2B and the product could (reasonably) also be used by consumers, the regulation may still apply.
For this reason, many B2B webshops choose to provide the same product safety information to stay compliant.
What steps can you take as a webshop owner?
To be compliant with the GPSR, you can take the following steps:
- Review your product range and identify products with safety warnings
- Check which products are manufactured outside the EU?
- Make sure that your suppliers provide the required manufacturer information and safety instructions.
- Add fields for manufacturer information and the responsible person.
- Include safety warnings or instructions on your product pages where relevant.
How CloudSuite helps with GPSR compliance
CloudSuite helps you structure and display the required product information within your webshop.
Using product attributes, you can manage manufacturer information, responsible operators, and safety warnings and display them on the Product Detail Page (PDP) of your webshop.
For step-by-step instructions on how to configure this in CloudSuite, see: Configure GPSR Product Information
What happens if you do not comply
Authorities (such as the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) may conduct inspections.
If your webshop does not meet the requirements, authorities can issue fines or demand to temporarily halt sales until the information is correct.
Online marketplaces such as Amazon or Bol.com may also remove products if required information is missing.