As a seller, your reputation and business success rely on the quality and safety of your products. Imagine a customer buying a toy from you, only to find out it breaks easily and becomes a safety hazard. Not only would this damage trust in your brand, but it could also lead to legal consequences without GPSR compliance.
That’s where the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) comes in, it’s a key rule that ensures every product you sell is safe and compliant. If you’re in the UK or EU, understanding GPSR is crucial to avoid penalties, product recalls, and reputational damage. As a seller, ensuring product safety is not just about delivering quality goods—it’s about meeting legal requirements.
In this blog, we will break down the key aspects of GPSR, including its requirements, responsibilities for sellers, corrective actions, and how ebay has simplified the GPSR compliance for the sellers.
What is GPSR?
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a legal framework that ensures all consumer products sold in the European Union (EU) and Northern Ireland (NI) meet strict safety standards. It applies to businesses, including manufacturers, importers, and sellers, making them responsible for the safety of their products before they reach consumers. Essentially, GPSR serves as a comprehensive safety measure to protect the public from hazardous products. The regulation covers new products, second-hand products, and most of the non-food consumer products. GPSR aims to:
- Prevent unsafe products from entering the market.
- Enhance traceability and accountability across the supply chain.
- Strengthen consumer confidence in product safety and compliance.
Overview of EU GPSR
The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, which came into effect on June 13, 2023, replaces the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) to ensure only safe products are sold in the EU. It applies to all consumer products, whether sold online or offline. Unlike the GPSD, GPSR is a Regulation and is directly enforceable in all EU Member States. GPSR addresses emerging risks such as AI and cybersecurity risks, strengthens online marketplace obligations, requires mandatory risk assessments and technical documentation before sale, and enforces the EU-based Responsible Person requirement.
With post-Brexit trading rules, UK-based businesses selling to Northern Ireland and the EU must comply with EU GPSR to avoid penalties and business disruptions. Let’s check out how it ensures product safety and business accountability.
Key Compliance Obligations under EU GPSR
- Product Safety & Traceability: Products must undergo risk assessments, should have unique identifiers, and meet EU safety standards.
- Warnings & Instructions: Safety warnings must be in the official language of the selling country.
Responsibilities of Businesses
- Manufacturers: Conduct safety testing, document compliance, and ensure proper labelling.
- Importers: Verify compliance, maintain technical documentation for 10 years, and add contact details.
- Sellers: Ensure products meet labelling and documentation requirements and assist in recalls.
EU-Based Responsible Person Requirement
Each product must have an EU-based responsible entity (manufacturer, importer, or representative) with contact details on the product or packaging.
Product Safety File & Documentation
Manufacturers and importers must maintain a product safety file, including risk assessments, test reports, and compliance certificates, for 10 years.
Packaging & Labelling Compliance
Products must display Manufacturer details, EU Responsible Person contact, Compliance symbols, Safety warnings, Batch/serial numbers
Corrective Actions & Incident Management
- Recalls & Safety Warnings: Businesses must notify consumers, and initiate recalls for unsafe products.
- Incident Reporting: Serious risks must be reported via the Safety Business Gateway.
- Corrective Measures: Companies must cooperate with authorities, track recalls, and inform consumers.
Penalties & Enforcement
Non-compliance may lead to fines, product bans, or criminal liability. Authorities will conduct inspections, remove unsafe listings, and blacklist repeat offenders.
Why is EU GPSR Essential for Online Sellers?
For online sellers, EU GPSR compliance is essential for smooth operations and avoiding legal risks. As e-commerce grows, ensuring product safety is crucial, especially for cross-border businesses. GPSR helps by ensuring fair competition, blocking unsafe products, and boosting consumer confidence.
Online marketplaces must now verify product safety compliance, requiring sellers to have risk assessments, technical documentation, and an EU-based Responsible Person. Non-compliance can lead to product delisting, penalties, or business restrictions, making GPSR adherence crucial for online sellers.
Understanding GPSR Compliance on eBay
With the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) in place, eBay sellers targeting customers in the European Union (EU) and Northern Ireland (NI) must ensure their product listings comply with strict safety requirements. This applies to both new and second-hand items, requiring sellers to provide essential safety information, proper labelling, and necessary documentation. To support sellers, eBay provides built-in compliance tools and guidance to help streamline the process.
Sellers can easily access features that allow them to add manufacturer details, responsible person information, product identification, and safety documentation directly into their listings. eBay’s regulatory resources and bulk editing tools enable sellers to manage compliance efficiently, minimizing manual effort and ensuring that their listings adhere to GPSR standards. Additionally, eBay provides educational materials and updates to keep sellers informed about regulatory changes.
Staying compliant on eBay is essential for avoiding penalties, maintaining customer trust, and ensuring a seamless selling experience. Here’s everything you need to know about GPSR compliance on eBay.
Key Requirements for eBay Sellers
To comply with GPSR mandates on eBay, sellers must include key product details in their listings. This includes the manufacturer’s name and contact details, along with an EU or NI-based Responsible Person if the manufacturer is outside these regions. Listings must feature clear product identification, such as model numbers, images, and product type. Safety and compliance information, including warnings, labels, and user manuals—must be provided in the local language of the target market.
If applicable, products must also display a CE marking to meet EU regulatory standards. Additionally, sellers must upload relevant product documents such as User Guides, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Declarations of Conformity (DoC) to ensure compliance. For products classified as hazardous under CLP regulations, sellers must provide hazard statements, pictograms, and signal words (e.g., “Warning” or “Danger”).
Compliance with these requirements helps sellers maintain listing eligibility and provides buyers with clear product safety information.
Step-by-Step Guide on how to do the GPSR Compliance on eBay
To help sellers comply with GPSR regulations, eBay provides built-in tools for easy data entry and document uploads. Follow these steps to ensure compliance for selling in the EU and Northern Ireland.
1. Gather Necessary Product Information
Before listing, collect essential product details from the manufacturer:
- Manufacturer Name & Contact Details
- Product Safety Compliance Information (e.g., certifications, CE marking)
- Detailed Product Description (Verify details with the manufacturer)
2. Start Listing Your Product
- Upload Product Images & Videos – high-resolution images showcasing multiple angles, labels, and key details of your product. Include videos demonstrating functionality, packaging, and safety markings to enhance buyer confidence.
3. Enter Manufacturer & Responsible Person Details
- Use eBay’s built-in system to input, Select the Toggle for ‘Product Manufacturer’ – Enter manufacturer details, including name and contact information.
- Also upload EU Responsible Person Details.
4.Upload Compliance & Safety Documents
- Select the Toggle for ‘Product Documents’
- Upload Relevant Compliance Documents, such as User Manuals, Safety Warnings, Product Certifications
5. Add Product Safety Information
- Select the Toggle for ‘Product Safety’
- Enter Necessary Safety Information – Ensure it aligns with GPSR requirements.
6. Finalize & Publish Your Listing
- Review all entered details for accuracy.
- Confirm that safety information and compliance documents are uploaded.
- List your product!
By following these steps, you ensure that your product complies with GPSR requirements, keeping your listings active and legally compliant for selling in the EU and Northern Ireland. To stay informed keep an eye on updates through eBay’s Safety and regulation official communication page.
Effortless eBay Listing with Prolisto
By adapting to GPSR requirements, you can continue reaching EU and NI customers without disruption. However, compliance alone doesn’t guarantee a seamless selling experience. A tool like ProListo can help simplify the listing process on eBay, making inventory management, bulk listing, and order processing more efficient. Having ProListo on your side ensures smoother operations, helping you focus on sales growth while reducing manual effort in managing your eBay store.
FAQs
1. Does GPSR apply to all products sold on eBay?
No, GPSR applies only to products that fall under general product safety regulations in the EU and NI. Sellers must ensure compliance for applicable items.
2. What type of product safety information is required?
Sellers must provide basic safety instructions, warnings, and disposal information in the relevant local language. Supported file formats: .pdf, .jpg, .png.
3. Which items are excluded under eBay GPSR?
Certain product categories fall under separate safety laws and are not covered by GPSR, including:
- Food and beverages
- Medicines and pharmaceuticals
- Medical devices
- Cosmetics
- Tobacco products
