The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) sets the basic safety rules for consumer products sold in the EU. Any product meant for consumers, or likely to be used by them, must be safe. GPSR also makes sure that products can be traced, that a business inside the EU answers for them, and that recalls reach consumers quickly.
GPSR is a safety net. Many products are also covered by specific EU laws, such as toys, electrical equipment or machinery, which come with the CE marking. For those products, GPSR covers the risks and duties the specific law does not. For products with no specific law, such as most clothing, furniture and many household goods, GPSR is the main safety law.
What GPSR requires
- Safe products and a risk analysis. Before placing a product on the market, manufacturers carry out an internal risk analysis and draw up technical documentation. They keep it for 10 years.
- Traceability. Each product carries a type, batch or serial number or other identifying element, visible and legible to consumers, plus the manufacturer's name and postal and electronic address.
- An EU responsible operator. A product may only be placed on the market if an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for it.
- Instructions and safety information in a language consumers can easily understand, as decided by each EU country.
- Accident reporting. Manufacturers report accidents caused by their products to national authorities through the Safety Business Gateway, without undue delay.
- Recalls that work. Recall notices follow a fixed format headed "Product safety recall", and consumers get a choice of at least two remedies: repair, replacement or refund.
Online and distance sales
GPSR applies fully to online sales. Under Article 19, every online offer must clearly show:
- The manufacturer's name and postal and electronic address.
- The EU responsible person's details, where the manufacturer is outside the EU.
- Information identifying the product, including a picture, its type and any other product identifier.
- Warnings and safety information.
Online marketplaces must register with the Safety Gate portal, designate a single point of contact for authorities and act on unsafe product notices.
Who it applies to and what is excluded
GPSR applies to manufacturers, importers, distributors, authorized representatives, fulfilment service providers and online marketplaces. It covers new, used, repaired and reconditioned consumer products.
It does not apply to medicinal products, food, feed, living plants and animals, animal by-products, plant protection products, some transport equipment operated by a service provider, certain aircraft, or antiques.
What it means for your products
GPSR turns product identification into a legal requirement. Brands need reliable model, batch or serial identifiers on the product and a fast way to find which customers have which units. A unique product identifier in a QR code makes recalls and safety notices far easier to target. Digital instructions, such as electronic instructions for use, help keep safety information current and available in every language.
GPSR also connects to the Digital Product Passport: many of the identity and contact fields a passport needs are the same ones GPSR already requires.
How to prepare
- Check every product label for an identifier and full manufacturer contact details.
- Name your EU responsible operator for products made outside the EU.
- Update online listings on your own shop and on marketplaces with the Article 19 information.
- Set up an accident and recall process, including access to the Safety Business Gateway.
- Review environmental and durability claims at the same time under the Empowering Consumers Directive, since both rules affect the same product pages.
How Veribl helps
Veribl gives every product a page behind its QR code with the manufacturer and EU contact details, safety information, warnings and instructions in 24 EU languages. GS1 Digital Link QR codes can identify a model, a batch or each single unit, so the right product can be found quickly if a safety issue comes up.
See product pages and manuals in VeriblOfficial sources
Frequently asked questions
When did the GPSR start to apply?
The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since 13 December 2024. It replaced the General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC and, as a regulation, applies directly in every EU country without national transposition.
What information must be on a product under GPSR?
A type, batch or serial number or other element that identifies the product, and the manufacturer's name, registered trade name or trademark, postal address and electronic address. If the manufacturer is not in the EU, the details of the EU responsible operator are needed too. Where the product is too small, the information goes on the packaging or an accompanying document.
What must an online product listing show under GPSR?
Article 19 requires the manufacturer's name and postal and electronic address, the EU responsible person's details where the manufacturer is outside the EU, information identifying the product including a picture and type, and any warnings or safety information in a language consumers can easily understand.
Does GPSR apply to products that already carry the CE marking?
Yes, for the risks and aspects that the product's specific EU law does not cover. Products under harmonized laws, such as toys or electrical equipment, follow those laws first; GPSR fills the gaps, for example on online sales duties, accident reporting and recalls.
What remedies must a company offer in a product recall?
Under Article 37, the economic operator responsible for the recall must offer the consumer a choice of at least two of: repair, replacement with a safe product of the same type and at least the same value and quality, or a refund of at least the price paid. Recall notices must follow the format in Article 36, headed 'Product safety recall'.
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