Product Safety Compliance Checklist

On 13 December 2024, a merchant who'd been importing budget kitchen gadgets from a supplier in Shenzhen for six years woke up to find three best-selling listings suspended by their marketplace channel, with a message citing missing responsible person information required under GPSR. The product hadn't changed. The law had. This is the checklist that merchant wishes someone had handed them a year earlier.

What the GPSR Requires, in Plain Terms

Regulation (EU) 2023/988, the General Product Safety Regulation, has applied since 13 December 2024 and replaced the older General Product Safety Directive. It covers non-food consumer products that don't already have their own specific EU safety legislation — and where a product does have its own regime, like toys or electronics, GPSR's traceability and general-safety duties layer on top rather than replacing it.

The core obligations break down like this:

• General safety requirement — only place safe products on the market, assessed against applicable standards, foreseeable use, and vulnerable users such as children where relevant
• Risk assessment and technical documentation kept on file and available on request from an authority
• EU Responsible Person — for products manufactured outside the EU, someone established in the EU, whether the manufacturer's authorised representative, the importer, or a qualifying fulfilment service provider, must be named with contact details and take on defined responsibilities
• Traceability — manufacturer or importer name, registered trade name or mark, and postal and electronic contact address on the product, packaging, or accompanying document, plus batch, serial, or type identifiers
• Warnings and safety information in the language required by the member state where the product is sold
• Online listing requirements — key identifying information, including the manufacturer, the EU Responsible Person, product identifiers, warnings, and an image, must be visible on the listing itself before purchase, not just inside a linked PDF
• Internal complaint and accident handling procedures, plus an obligation to notify authorities, and for serious risks the Safety Business Gateway, if you learn a product already on the market is dangerous
• Marketplaces carry their own duty to collect and display trader identification and to act on Safety Gate alerts affecting listings on their platform

Product Listing Requirements Table

Product safety checklist

Before you list a new product

1. Confirm whether the product falls under any product-specific EU safety legislation, such as toys, electronics, cosmetics, or machinery, in addition to GPSR's general duties
2. Identify the manufacturer and confirm they're established in the EU; if not, appoint or confirm an EU Responsible Person and get their name, address, and contact details in writing
3. Request the technical documentation and risk assessment from your manufacturer or supplier, even if you're only reselling
4. Verify the product carries required traceability markings, such as a batch or serial number and manufacturer identification, on the item or packaging

For every online listing

1. Publish the manufacturer's name and contact details on the listing page itself
2. Publish the EU Responsible Person's name and contact details where applicable
3. Include a clear product image and any mandatory warnings in the language of the country you're selling into
4. Avoid burying required safety information only inside a downloadable PDF or a linked external page

For your store as a whole

1. Set up an internal process for logging safety complaints and product incidents, with a named owner
2. Know how to file a report through the Safety Business Gateway if you learn a product you sold poses a serious risk
3. Periodically check the EU Safety Gate portal for recalls or alerts affecting products you stock
4. Keep technical documentation and supplier correspondence for the retention period your national market surveillance authority expects

This works best alongside the requirements covered in our CE marking guide for online sellers, since GPSR and CE marking obligations often apply to the same product at the same time, and our complete EU compliance checklist for the full picture across all your regulatory obligations.

Turning this checklist into a routine

Pick your five best-selling imported SKUs and check each one against the listing-requirements table above today — that's the fastest way to find out whether you have a GPSR gap before your marketplace channel finds it for you and pulls the listing.

Frequently asked questions

When did the GPSR come into force?

Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since 13 December 2024, replacing the previous General Product Safety Directive. If you're only now reviewing compliance, you're already past the deadline, which is exactly why marketplaces have been suspending non-compliant listings.

Do I need an EU Responsible Person for every product?

You need one for products manufactured outside the EU that don't already have an EU-established manufacturer, authorised representative, importer, or qualifying fulfilment provider. EU-manufactured goods sold by an EU-based seller typically don't need a separate appointment.

Can I put the required safety information in a linked PDF instead of on the listing page?

No. GPSR expects key identifying and safety information, including manufacturer details, the EU Responsible Person, and warnings, to be visible on the online listing itself, not buried in a separate downloadable document.

Does GPSR apply to products that already have CE marking?

Yes, in most cases. GPSR's general safety and traceability duties apply alongside product-specific legislation like the Toy Safety Directive or machinery rules; CE marking under a specific directive doesn't exempt you from GPSR's traceability requirements.

What happens if I sell a product later found to be unsafe?

You're expected to have an internal process for logging complaints, cooperate with market surveillance authorities, and, for serious risks, notify authorities through the Safety Business Gateway. Marketplaces also have obligations to act on Safety Gate alerts affecting your listings.

Is GPSR only relevant to physical products sold to EU consumers?

Yes, broadly. It applies to non-food consumer products placed on the EU market, including online, regardless of where the seller or manufacturer is based, provided the product reaches EU consumers.

Related reading

• Understanding GPSR Requirements
• CE Marking for Online Sellers
• Complete EU Compliance Checklist for Online Stores
• Right to Repair Regulations Explained
• Omnibus Directive Compliance Guide

Written by

PrestaInsights Team

At PrestaInsights, we specialize in everything PrestaShop, from hosting and performance optimization to module development and in-depth tutorials. Our goal is to help merchants, developers, and agencies succeed with up-to-date guides, practical insights, and proven best practices. Whether you're just getting started or scaling a high-traffic store, we're here to guide you.

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