The General Product Safety Regulation (EU 2023/988) introduced explicit labeling obligations for the first time that apply directly to online product listings — not just physical packaging. This article breaks down exactly what must appear on each product page, in which language, and how these requirements translate into practical ecommerce implementation.
What GPSR Article 9 requires on product pages
For economic operators (manufacturers, importers, distributors, and fulfillment service providers), GPSR Article 9 requires the following information to be "easily accessible to consumers" — which courts and market surveillance authorities have consistently interpreted as meaning visible on the product page itself, not buried in a PDF or behind a contact form:
- Manufacturer name — legal entity name, not a trading name or brand name alone
- Manufacturer registered address — physical postal address, not just a country
- Manufacturer electronic contact — email address or contact form URL
- Product name or type
- Product identifier — batch number, serial number, product reference, or other traceable identifier
- Safety warnings — any warnings required by applicable product-specific legislation (e.g., age warnings for toys, chemical warnings for cleaning products)
When the manufacturer is outside the EU
If the manufacturer is established outside the EU, an EU-based responsible person (the importer or an appointed representative) must also be identified on the product page with their name and address. This is one of the most commonly missed requirements for stores selling Chinese-manufactured goods.
The EU Responsible Person must be:
- Established (registered) in an EU member state
- Authorised in writing by the manufacturer
- Able to verify that GPSR documentation exists
- Identified on the product page by name and address
Language requirements
Safety information and warnings must appear in the official language(s) of the EU member state where the product is sold. This creates a practical challenge for stores serving multiple EU markets:
- A store selling to Germany must show warnings in German
- A store selling to France must show warnings in French
- A multilingual store serving both must show warnings in both languages
Manufacturer name and address, product identifiers, and contact details can remain in the language of the manufacturer's country — only safety information and mandatory statutory notices require translation.
What counts as a "product identifier"
GPSR uses the term "identification of the product" broadly. Accepted identifiers include:
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) — most ecommerce platforms already generate these
- EAN / GTIN / barcode number
- Model number
- Batch or lot number (for products with production batches)
- Serial number (for individually serialized products)
A "style name" or a marketing description is not an acceptable identifier. German enforcement authorities have specifically cited the absence of numeric identifiers as a grounds for formal warning.
Product categories with additional requirements
General GPSR requirements apply to all products. Some categories have additional obligations:
- Toys: CE marking display, age warning (not suitable for children under 3), safety warnings for small parts, choking hazards
- Electronics: CE marking, WEEE recycling symbol, country of origin for certain categories
- Clothing and textiles: Fiber composition (required by EU Textile Regulation), care labeling symbols
- Cosmetics: INCI ingredient list, date of minimum durability, special precautions, function of the product
- Food contact materials: "for food contact" indication or the fork-and-glass symbol
- Chemical products: GHS/CLP hazard statements, precautionary statements
Where on the product page should this information appear
GPSR says "easily accessible" but does not specify exact placement. However, market surveillance authority guidance and early enforcement cases suggest:
- Product description section: Most authorities consider the main product description the primary location
- Dedicated product tab: An "Additional Information" or "Compliance" tab is acceptable provided it is clearly labelled
- Collapsible section: A visible accordion or expandable section near the product title is acceptable
- Below the fold: Acceptable in most jurisdictions if clearly labelled
- Hidden behind "more info" links to a separate page: Generally not acceptable
- PDF attachment: Not acceptable as the primary disclosure location
Common violations found in GPSR enforcement sweeps
Based on formal warnings issued in Germany and France in Q1–Q2 2025:
- Missing manufacturer address (most common — 68% of warnings)
- Missing product identifier / SKU not displayed (52%)
- Safety warnings in English only on stores selling to Germany (41%)
- No EU responsible person identified for non-EU manufactured goods (38%)
- Contact email only — no postal address (29%)
How to audit your product labeling
Manual auditing is slow for stores with more than a handful of products. EuroGPSR's automated scanner checks your product pages for missing GPSR-required information and gives you a severity-ranked list of issues with platform-specific fix instructions for Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, and other major platforms. The free scan covers all GPSR labeling checks.