On December 13, 2024, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) will take effect across the EU and Northern Ireland. This new law replaces the older General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) to bring safety standards up to date with today’s ecommerce environment. GPSR is designed to ensure all non-food consumer products sold in the EU are safe, with a focus on accountability and consumer protection.
Who is affected?
GPSR impacts several key players in ecommerce:
- Manufacturers: They must ensure products meet all safety standards and provide relevant safety information.
- Sellers and Distributors: These parties need to display the contact details of the manufacturer or the designated responsible person within the EU, along with any necessary warning and safety information.
- Online Marketplaces: They are responsible for verifying compliance among sellers, facilitating product recalls, and notifying consumers of any safety issues.
- Vendors: Vendors must ensure that the products they supply are compliant, safe for consumers, and meet GPSR requirements before listing or selling to distributors or end customers.
Each group plays a vital role in upholding product safety standards. Failing to meet GPSR obligations can lead to penalties, listing disruptions, and reputational risk.
Reka Juhasz,
Key changes and requirements under GPSR
The GPSR introduces several new requirements aimed at protecting consumers:
- Safety and Risk Assessments: All products must undergo thorough safety checks to identify and manage risks effectively.
- Contact Information for Transparency: Sellers must provide EU-based contact details for the manufacturer or a responsible person on each product. They must also provide clear warnings and safety information about the product.
- Market Surveillance and Reporting: Authorities have expanded their power to enforce GPSR requirements, including swift reporting of unsafe products. Businesses must notify authorities of any serious safety risks without delay.
- Marketplace Responsibilities: Platforms must facilitate product recalls, inform consumers of any safety risks, and monitor for unsafe items.
- Enhanced Traceability: New rules require improved product traceability to allow for quick action if a safety issue arises, covering product identification and batch tracking.
- Digital Sales and Information Clarity: Ecommerce platforms and sellers must make safety information accessible, clear, and visible, ensuring consumers understand any product risks before purchase.
How to submit compliance information
While each marketplace may have its own approach to GPSR compliance, here’s a general overview to help you understand how the process typically works.
Keep in mind that submission methods can vary: some marketplaces might send an Excel spreadsheet to collect compliance information, others might rely on integration tools like ChannelEngine to provide all the information, and a few may require submissions directly through their backend (e.g., Seller Central).
Here’s an outline of common steps, though it’s best to verify the exact process for each marketplace:
1. Gather Submission Requirements: Start by identifying how the marketplace collects compliance information:
- Excel Spreadsheet: Some marketplaces may provide an Excel file to capture the necessary details.
- Third-Party Integration: Others, like those using ChannelEngine, may require compliance data through this platform.
- Marketplace Backend: A few marketplaces might ask you to navigate to their compliance or account health dashboard to enter GPSR details directly.
2. Submit Responsible Party Information: You’ll likely need to enter the contact details for both the responsible person and the manufacturer. Be sure to provide these details in the correct language(s) for each country in which you are selling.
3. Upload Safety Documents and Images:
- Add relevant safety information, such as manuals, fact sheets, or warning documents.
- Upload images (there may be a limit) showing labels with safety and warning details.
- If selling in countries with multiple official languages, ensure documents or images are available in all relevant languages.
4. Verify and Update Regularly: After uploading, review the listing to confirm that safety images and documents appear as expected. Revisit this periodically to keep information up to date, especially if regulations or product details change.
5. Document Compliance Status: If a product is exempt from specific safety warnings, some marketplaces allow you to submit an attestation. Use this feature if applicable, and keep records to demonstrate compliance in case of future audits.
Following these steps can help ensure your products meet GPSR standards, minimizing the risk of listing disruptions and enhancing consumer safety. While we've aimed to provide a general structure, keep in mind that the exact process may differ across marketplaces.
