General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR): What it is and how it affects your shop

Heads up! While the information provided here is intended for general guidance on the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and its application to businesses selling non-food consumer products in the European Union (EU) or Northern Ireland, it should not be taken as legal advice. If you are unsure what your responsibilities are around GPSR, we highly recommend seeking legal counsel.

What is GPSR and who needs to be compliant?

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), set to take effect on December 13, 2024, is a European law designed to ensure the safety of non-food consumer products within the EU. The GPSR applies to almost all consumer products, including second-hand items, as long as they present a potential safety risk to consumers. In other words, any product that could reach a consumer is covered by the regulation, unless explicitly excluded by other laws or exemptions. See exempt products here.

GPSR applies to all businesses that place consumer products on the EU (including Northern Ireland) market, including online sellers selling through an e-commerce platform like Big Cartel. In short, anyone selling non-food products within the EU is required to comply with the new GPSR regulations, regardless of their geographical location.

How can you comply with GPSR?

• For the most current info, check the latest requirements: Read through the GPSR Guidelines and confirm what’s required for your specific products.

• General key requirements:

  • Responsible Person: A Responsible Person must be designated within the EU for your non-food products. Be sure to label your products with their contact details in one of the EU’s official languages.

  • Manufacturer Information: Include the manufacturer's contact information on your products and, if applicable, the importer's details. This information should be visible on both physical products and online listings.

  • Labeling and Traceability: Comply with GPSR and existing labeling regulations. Each product should have a unique identifier for traceability. Provide all required safety and warning information, both on the product and in online listings.

Shipping to the EU or Northern Ireland but not ready to deal with GPSR yet?

If you’re not prepared to manage these extra steps right now, you can easily exclude the EU and Northern Ireland from your shipping destinations.

• For the EU: Simply omit any shipping rates for EU countries in your shipping profile.

• For Northern Ireland: Head to your shipping profiles in the admin, select "United Kingdom" as your country or zone, and use the new region dropdown to exclude Northern Ireland. This way, you can continue selling to other parts of the UK without having to address GPSR requirements just yet.