What safety and warning information must appear on online product listings under GPSR?

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Jason van de Zande

Under the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), online product listings must show any safety information, warnings, and instructions consumers need to use the product safely before they buy. What you must display depends on the product’s risks and foreseeable use, and it must be clear and in the right language for each EU country you sell to. Below are the most common questions about what to show, where to place it, and which operator details to include.

What safety and warning information must be shown on an online product listing under GPSR?

Online listings must provide pre-purchase safety information whenever a consumer needs it to understand safe use, foreseeable misuse, age suitability, or key hazards. Under the GPSR, the content is product-specific and should follow your internal risk analysis, covering the warnings and instructions that reduce risks to an acceptable level for consumers in the target Member State.

In practice, include warnings and instructions that a consumer must know before deciding to buy, for example:

  • Age grading and suitability (including when a product is not for children).
  • Choking, strangulation, sharp-edge, burn, or entrapment warnings where relevant.
  • Electrical and battery safety information (charging, overheating, correct adapters, disposal).
  • Safe assembly, installation, anchoring, and maintenance steps when safety depends on them.
  • Use limitations (indoor use only, protective equipment required, maximum load, ventilation requirements).
  • Disposal instructions when incorrect disposal creates safety risks.

Make the wording easy to understand, avoid vague statements, and provide the information in the language(s) consumers can easily understand in each country where the offer is made available.

Where should GPSR warnings and safety instructions appear in e-commerce listings and marketplace pages?

GPSR warnings and instructions should appear where a shopper will see them before checkout, not only after purchase or inside the box. The safest approach is to place key warnings in the main listing content and repeat them in any dedicated safety fields a marketplace provides, so the information stays visible across devices and layouts.

Good placement options include:

  • Product description: put the most critical warnings near the top, not buried at the end.
  • Marketplace “safety” or “compliance” attributes: fill in structured fields when available.
  • Images or infographics: add a clear warning image when text may be missed on mobile.
  • Downloadable instructions: provide a PDF manual, but do not rely on it as the only disclosure.
  • Variant-level consistency: ensure warnings match each model, size, or material variant.

Avoid hiding warnings behind expandable tabs that are collapsed by default, or placing them only in post-checkout emails. Keep the same safety message consistent across your own site, marketplaces, and any reseller pages.

What identification and traceability details are required on listings (manufacturer, importer, and responsible person)?

Listings should make it easy to identify the product and the relevant economic operator(s), especially where marketplaces request it for GPSR checks. At a minimum, ensure the listing matches the product’s physical identification, including the manufacturer’s identity and contact details and, where required, the EU Responsible Person’s contact details. Inconsistencies between the listing, label, and documents commonly trigger platform blocks.

Role What it means What to keep consistent online
Manufacturer Makes the product or has it made and markets it under its name or trademark. Name, postal address, and an electronic contact address that enables two-way communication (for example, an email address or a contact form).
Importer An EU-established operator that places a non-EU product on the EU market (when there is an importer in the supply chain). Importer identity, if applicable; do not mislabel another operator as the importer.
Responsible Person An EU-established economic operator required for many non-EU distance-sales scenarios under the GPSR. Responsible Person contact block as shown on the product, packaging, or accompanying document.
Authorized Representative An optional mandate-based role used under some sector laws; not automatically required by the GPSR. Only state this role if you have a valid mandate and it applies under the rules for your product.

Also align product identifiers (model, type, batch, or serial number, where applicable) between the listing, packaging, and technical documentation, so authorities can trace the exact product variant.

How does EARP help with GPSR online listing safety and warning compliance?

We help non-EU brands and sellers prepare their GPSR listing information for marketplace and authority scrutiny by combining EU Responsible Person coverage with practical listing checks and documentation handling. Our focus is to reduce delays caused by missing warnings, unclear operator details, or mismatches between online content and product labeling.

  • We review your listing content to ensure required warnings and instructions are visible before purchase.
  • We confirm the correct Responsible Person contact details and role wording for use online and on labels.
  • We check documentation for presence and completeness and store required files so they are available on request.
  • We support alignment across your website and marketplace pages to avoid inconsistent operator identification.
  • We coordinate responses and provide documents when market surveillance authorities request information.

See our services, or contact us to discuss your products and the EU countries where you sell.

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