GPSR & EAA Compliance for WooCommerce
WooCommerce gives you full control — which means EU compliance is entirely in your hands. This guide covers every step with the exact plugins and code paths to use.
Overview
WooCommerce and EU compliance
WooCommerce runs on WordPress, giving you complete control over your store. That flexibility is also why compliance requires more hands-on work than hosted platforms: there's no cookie consent built-in, no automatic manufacturer fields, and legal pages need to be created manually.
The good news: the WordPress plugin ecosystem is rich. Most GPSR and EAA requirements can be met with free or low-cost plugins — no custom development needed.
Common mistake: Many WooCommerce stores use a GDPR plugin that shows a cookie banner but doesn't actually block analytics scripts before consent. This is non-compliant under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. Verify your cookie consent plugin actually blocks scripts.
Step by step
6 steps to EU compliance on WooCommerce
01
Add manufacturer information with custom fields
Products → [Product] → Product data → Custom fields
WooCommerce custom fields (product meta) let you add manufacturer name, address, and contact details to any product. Display them in your theme using woocommerce_single_product_summary action hook or a page builder.
How to do it: Install the "Advanced Custom Fields" (ACF) plugin to create structured manufacturer fields across all products. Use a WooCommerce-compatible field group on the product post type.
Recommended: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) — free on WordPress.org
02
Add product identifiers (SKU or model number)
Products → [Product] → Inventory → SKU
WooCommerce has a built-in SKU field. Make sure the SKU is visible on your product pages — most themes display it by default. If not, add it via your theme's product template.
How to do it: Check Products → [Product] → Inventory and fill in the SKU field. Then verify the SKU is visible on the frontend. If not, add <?php woocommerce_template_single_meta(); ?> to your single-product template.
03
Add EU-compliant legal pages
Pages → Add new
Create dedicated pages for: Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, Cookie Policy, and Cancellation/Refund Policy. Link them in your footer and in the checkout. WooCommerce checkout has dedicated slots for legal page links.
How to do it: In WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → Page setup, link your Terms & Conditions page. This adds a "I accept" checkbox at checkout — required for many EU transactions.
04
Install GDPR-compliant cookie consent
WordPress Admin → Plugins → Add new
WordPress doesn't have built-in cookie consent. You need a plugin. The consent must block non-essential scripts (analytics, tracking pixels) before the user accepts — "consent theatre" plugins that just show a banner without actually blocking cookies are not compliant.
How to do it: Cookiebot (paid) and Cookie Notice & Compliance (free tier) are the most reliable options. Whichever you choose, verify it actually blocks Google Analytics and any tracking pixels until consent is given.
Recommended: Cookiebot or Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR
05
Add a customer contact channel
Contact page + footer widgets
Add a clearly labelled contact page with an email address or contact form. Link it in your footer and navigation. Consider adding "Product safety contact" as a footer link — this satisfies GPSR's requirement for a dedicated safety communication channel.
How to do it: Use Contact Form 7 or WPForms to create a contact form. Add the page URL to WooCommerce → Settings → Emails as the "from" contact, and link it in your footer widget area.
Recommended: Contact Form 7 — free on WordPress.org
06
Fix accessibility issues (EAA compliance)
Media library + theme settings + plugins
For EAA compliance, add alt text to all product images, ensure your theme passes WCAG 2.1 AA colour contrast checks, and verify keyboard navigation works across the checkout flow.
How to do it: Add alt text via Media → [Image] → Edit in the WordPress media library, or directly on product images in the product editor. For contrast issues, use the WP Accessibility plugin as a diagnostic tool, then fix problems in your theme's CSS.
Recommended: WP Accessibility — free diagnostic tool
Plugin reference
Recommended WordPress plugins
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)
FreeAdd structured manufacturer and product info fields to WooCommerce products.
Cookiebot
PaidGDPR-compliant cookie consent that actually blocks scripts. Most reliable option for serious stores.
Cookie Notice & Compliance
FreeFree cookie consent plugin with script blocking. Good for smaller stores.
WP Accessibility
FreeDiagnoses common accessibility issues and adds keyboard navigation improvements.
Contact Form 7
FreeSimple, reliable contact forms for your product safety communication channel.
YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons
PaidAdd custom product fields (manufacturer info) directly in the product UI without coding.