Fitness & Wellness Products – EU Authorized Representative & GPSR Compliance
Ensure your fitness and wellness products meet EU safety standards with EARP’s professional Authorized Representative services.
Make wellness products EU-ready
Fitness and wellness products help consumers exercise, recover, and maintain well-being at home or in gyms but these items also pose safety risks if not properly labeled, tested, or documented. In the EU, the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) requires all fitness and wellness products to include clear labeling, robust safety documentation, and traceability. This ensures buyers receive products with safe designs, clear usage instructions, and consistent quality.
Manufacturers of fitness and wellness products must understand and meet these rules to avoid customs blocks, online delistings, or enforcement actions when selling their products in the EU. EARP specializes in helping these brands achieve GPSR compliance for confident, uninterrupted sales in European markets.
What the GPSR requires
Prepare a risk analysis and a living technical file explaining hazards, your controls, and the tests or standards you relied on. Present the manufacturer’s contact details (postal + electronic address), a model/batch for traceability, and instructions/warnings that match real risks (e.g., load limits, wear checks, cleaning, battery/charging guidance for electronic gear).
What authorities flag most
Expect scrutiny on chemical residues (PAHs in rubber, phthalates in plasticised materials, azo dyes in textiles, nickel release from skin-contact metal), mechanical integrity (bands/straps/closures under load), and for electronics, charging/thermal behaviour and software updates that can change safety functions.
Your technical file should tie materials and components to REACH Annex XVII checks, document safety margins for loads and wear, and explain how firmware/app updates are validated before roll-out. If a serious risk or accident occurs, notify without undue delay via the Safety Business Gateway and public alerts appear on Safety Gate.
What are fitness & wellness products?
These products support personal exercise, recovery, and well-being but are not classified as medical devices or PPE. They are typically sold through online marketplaces, sports retailers, and brand-owned stores and include:
Resistance bands, yoga mats, and balance boards
Foam rollers, massage balls, and hand exercisers
Grip strengtheners, ab wheels, or core trainers
Electronic massagers or EMS devices
Meditation cushions and posture supports
Home-use fitness accessories and stretching aids
All of these items must meet GPSR requirements for safe designs, clear labeling, user instructions, and accessible technical documentation.
Relevant legislation
Disclaimer: This list is not exhaustive and may not apply to all products; manufacturers must identify all applicable EU requirements.
Do you need an EU Authorized Representative?
Yes, If you are a non-EU manufacturer selling fitness or wellness products to EU consumers, you must have an EU-based Responsible Person as required under GPSR Article 16(1). This rule covers products sold online, through fitness retailers, or via fulfillment services.
If no importer or distributor formally assumes this role, appointing an Authorized Representative is the formal way to meet this legal requirement. Given frequent online sales and varying quality standards in this category, an AR ensures your products meet traceability, labeling, and documentation obligations to avoid customs delays or enforcement actions.
We can act as your Authorized Representative and your EU-based Responsible Person. Find out who we are.
Helpful ArticleWhy choose EARP as your Responsible Person
EARP provides specialized support for fitness and wellness brands entering the EU market. Our services include:
- Authorizing the use of EARP’s EU contact details on labeling, packaging, or inserts
- Acting as your official EU contact point for regulators, authorities, and surveillance team
- Holding and presenting technical documentation and Declarations of Conformity upon request
- Verifying safety documentation including usage instructions, risk assessments, and labeling clarity
- Coordinating with manufacturers on safety notices, recalls, or consumer warnings as needed
- Providing templates and guidance to help build a GPSR-compliant technical file
Read more about EARP’s representation services.
We act independently of your fulfillment or distribution partners, giving you flexibility in your sales channels while ensuring full EU compliance.
FAQs – Fitness & Wellness Products
Yes. If you are based outside the EU, you must appoint an AR for any consumer good under the GPSR — including fitness accessories sold via online platforms. EARP ensures your documentation and labeling are fully compliant to avoid delisting or customs issues.
Those designs may also trigger the LVD or EMC Directives. Regardless, the GPSR applies in parallel to ensure general safety, labeling, and documentation requirements are met.
Yes. Unless your fulfillment provider explicitly agrees to act as the Responsible Person, you remain legally required to appoint an AR to meet EU obligations.
