Do you need the registered company address on the packaging to sell within the EU?

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Jason van de Zande

Yes, in most cases you need a company address on the packaging or on the product itself to sell within the EU, because EU product labelling requirements call for clear, reachable contact details for the responsible economic operator. For many non EU sellers, that means showing an EU based address tied to the required GPSR Responsible Person address.

This EU packaging address requirement is closely linked to enforcement by EU market surveillance authorities and online marketplaces, especially since the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) became fully enforceable in December 2024. The exact address you must show depends on your supply chain role and which economic operator is designated for compliance.

The questions below explain which address to use, where to place it, and what to do when space is limited.

Do you need a company address on product packaging to sell in the EU?

In most cases, yes: EU product labelling requirements expect consumer products placed on the EU market to display contact details for the relevant economic operator, including a postal address where authorities and consumers can reach them. Under the EU packaging address requirement, missing or unclear contact details can trigger marketplace blocks or market surveillance follow up.

Practically, the address requirement exists so EU market surveillance contact details are immediately available when a product raises a safety question, a complaint, or a request for documentation. This matters most for non EU manufacturers and e commerce sellers shipping directly to EU consumers, because there may be no importer or distributor in the EU to act as the visible contact point.

To stay aligned with GPSR expectations, aim for contact details that are:

  • Easy to find without opening sealed packaging where possible
  • Legible and durable for the product’s expected lifetime
  • Consistent across the product, packaging, and any accompanying instructions

Which address must be shown: manufacturer, importer, authorised representative, or responsible person?

The address that must be shown is the address of the relevant economic operator that EU authorities can contact for compliance and product safety matters. For many non EU businesses, the key label element is the GPSR Responsible Person address in the EU, because GPSR requires an EU based responsible economic operator for most consumer products sold to EU consumers.

Here is how the roles differ in a way that affects what you print on labels and packaging:

  • Manufacturer: The entity that makes or has the product made and markets it under its name or trademark. Non EU manufacturers can be listed, but an EU contact point is often still needed for effective enforcement.
  • Importer: If an importer places the product on the EU market, the importer typically has EU contact details and may have labelling obligations. Many direct to consumer sellers do not have an importer in their chain.
  • Authorised representative: An EU based entity appointed by a manufacturer for specific tasks. An authorised representative is not mandatory under GPSR, but it can be used in some regulatory setups. If used, the EU authorised representative address may appear where relevant to the mandate.
  • Responsible person: Under GPSR, the responsible person role must be fulfilled by an EU based economic operator for many consumer products. The GPSR Responsible Person address is the practical EU contact detail that marketplaces and authorities look for.

Also keep the compliance communication duties straight. Under the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 (MSR), the responsible person must notify risks to the manufacturer under Article 4, while the authorised representative is the role associated with notifying serious risks to authorities. Clear role assignment helps you avoid putting the wrong entity on the label and creating delays during an authority request.

Where exactly should the address go, and what if the packaging is too small?

The address should be placed where it is easy to find and read, typically on the product packaging, the product itself, or an accompanying document when justified. For EU product labelling requirements, the goal is simple: EU market surveillance contact details must be accessible without confusion, even after the product is separated from outer shipping materials.

In practice, use this placement order when possible:

  1. On product packaging near the product identification details such as model, type, or batch
  2. On the product when the product may be sold or used without its packaging
  3. In accompanying documentation such as instructions or a leaflet when the product or packaging cannot reasonably carry the full details

If the packaging is too small, do not omit the address entirely. Instead, prioritize a compliant, readable solution:

  • Use a fold out label or multi layer sticker so the full postal address remains legible
  • Move details to an insert when space is genuinely constrained, and ensure the insert always ships with the product
  • Keep the address complete as a postal address, not only a website or email, because authorities often require a physical contact point

A common mistake is relying only on the outer shipping label. Shipping labels can be discarded immediately, while the EU packaging address requirement is meant to keep the compliance contact tied to the product as it circulates in the market.

How EARP helps with EU packaging address compliance for selling in the EU?

We help non EU manufacturers, brands, and online sellers meet the EU packaging address requirement by providing an independent EU based compliance contact point and clear guidance on how to present the GPSR Responsible Person address in a way that marketplaces and authorities can verify. We focus on practical, fast implementation so you can keep selling in the EU.

  • GPSR Responsible Person setup with an EU address suitable for labelling and marketplace verification
  • Label and packaging review to confirm your EU market surveillance contact details are placed correctly and consistently
  • Documentation readiness support including structured checks for the presence and completeness of required product safety documents and making them available to authorities when requested
  • Clear role mapping so you do not confuse importer, authorised representative, and responsible person responsibilities across your listings and packaging

To get started, review our EU compliance services and then send your product details through our contact form so we can confirm the fastest path to compliant EU packaging address information.

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