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Selling other consumer products in the EU

In the EU, consumer products placed on the market from 13 December 2024 fall under the General Product Safety Regulation, (EU) 2023/988, unless more specific rules cover the same risks. A product must be safe, have a responsible economic operator in the EU and carry identification. Toys, electrical goods, textiles, cleaning products and kitchenware have their own guides.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Main text
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR)
Applies to
Products placed on the market from 13 December 2024
Who answers
A responsible economic operator in the EU
Alerts
Safety Gate, the EU system for dangerous non-food products
Packaging
Regulation (EU) 2025/40

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it covered by more specific rules with their own guide, such as toys or electrical equipment? Read more
  2. 2Is it a consumer product under the GPSR? Read more
  3. 3Who is the responsible economic operator in the EU? Read more
  4. 4Is there a risk assessment and technical documentation? Read more
  5. 5Does the product carry a batch or serial number and the manufacturer's details? Read more
  6. 6Is it sold through an online marketplace? Read more
  7. 7What does the packaging have to meet? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Products with their own rules

Products covered by more specific EU rules, each with its own guide.

  • The GPSR applies unless more specific rules cover the same risks, and other regulations may also apply, depending on the product.
  • Toys follow the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, with CE marking: see the toys guide.
  • Electrical equipment, radio equipment and batteries follow the Low Voltage, EMC and Radio Equipment Directives, RoHS, WEEE and the Batteries Regulation: see the electrical and electronics guide.
  • Clothing, footwear and textiles follow the Textile Labelling Regulation and the footwear labelling Directive: see the textiles guide.
  • Detergents and hazardous household chemicals follow the Detergents Regulation and CLP: see the cleaning products guide.
  • Cookware, tableware and containers that touch food follow Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004: see the kitchenware guide.

How we help: Compliant Always shows which of these texts apply to your product, and keeps the documents for each with the product. Ask about this

General product safety

The safety duty for consumer products, and the evidence behind it.

  • The GPSR applies within the EU from 13 December 2024, to products placed on the market from that date.
  • Products must be safe for their reasonably foreseeable use, for example with no dangerously sharp edges or parts that might pose a choking hazard.
  • Manufacturers undertake a risk assessment and draw up technical documentation.
  • Other regulations may also apply, depending on the product.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the risk assessment, test reports and technical documentation with each product, dated. Ask about this

Economic operators and online selling

Who answers for a product on the EU market.

  • For a product to be placed on the market there must be a responsible economic operator to make sure compliance tasks are fulfilled.
  • The GPSR sets obligations for manufacturers, importers and distributors, and new obligations for online marketplaces and fulfilment service providers.
  • Online marketplaces designate contact points, have processes to comply, and cooperate with market surveillance authorities.
  • Online marketplaces register on Safety Gate when selling online.

How we help: Compliant Always records who the responsible economic operator is for each product, and keeps what they need to hold. Ask about this

Labelling and traceability

What identifies a product and who stands behind it.

  • Products carry a batch or serial number or other identifying element, visibly and legibly, or on the packaging or accompanying documents where size does not allow.
  • Information on the manufacturer or responsible economic operator is given on or with the product.
  • Where a product is found to be dangerous, the business alerts the market surveillance authorities and takes corrective action.

How we help: Compliant Always ties each document to the batch it covers, so a question about one batch is answered from the record. Ask about this

Packaging

Rules across the packaging life cycle.

  • Regulation (EU) 2025/40 sets rules for eco-design, recycled content, waste prevention, reuse and collection, and aims to make packaging recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
  • The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC was generally repealed on 12 August 2026.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps your packaging specifications and suppliers' declarations with each product. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ManufacturerSafety, the risk assessment, technical documentation and product identification.The technical file kept with each product and batch.
Responsible economic operatorMaking sure compliance tasks are fulfilled for products placed on the EU market.The documents they hold, in one place and dated.
Importer and distributorTheir own obligations under the GPSR for the products they bring in or sell.Suppliers' documents read and dated before the goods arrive.
Online marketplaceContact points, compliance processes and cooperation with authorities.Product documents ready for the marketplace that asks.

Member states

The GPSR applies directly in each member state. National market surveillance authorities enforce, and Safety Gate is how they share alerts about dangerous non-food products.

Questions businesses ask

Which consumer products have their own EU guide?
Toys, electrical and electronic products, clothing, footwear and textiles, cleaning products and detergents, and kitchenware and food contact articles. Each follows more specific EU rules, alongside the GPSR where those rules leave risks uncovered.
What is the GPSR?
The EU General Product Safety Regulation, (EU) 2023/988. It applies within the EU from 13 December 2024 and sets safety obligations for consumer products and the businesses that make and sell them.
Does the GPSR apply to products already on sale?
It applies to products placed on the market from 13 December 2024. Products already on the market before then, which met the rules in force at that time, need no new action.
What is a responsible economic operator?
The business that must be in place for a product covered by the GPSR to be placed on the market, to make sure its compliance tasks are fulfilled.
Does a consumer product need a risk assessment in the EU?
Yes. Manufacturers undertake a risk assessment and draw up technical documentation for products covered by the GPSR.
What identification does a product need?
A batch or serial number or other identifying element, visible and legible, plus information on the manufacturer or responsible economic operator, on or with the product.
Are online marketplaces covered?
Yes. Online marketplaces and fulfilment service providers have obligations under the GPSR, including contact points, compliance processes and cooperation with market surveillance authorities.
What is Safety Gate?
The EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, through which authorities share alerts. Online marketplaces selling in the EU register there.
What does a business do if a product turns out to be dangerous?
Alert the market surveillance authorities and take the necessary corrective action.
Which packaging rules apply?
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, (EU) 2025/40, which covers the packaging life cycle and replaced most of Directive 94/62/EC from 12 August 2026.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in the EU?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in the EU and what your paperwork needs to show.

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