The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 applies from 13 December 2024. Under Article 19, every online offer of a consumer product must clearly show the manufacturer's name and contact details, an EU responsible person where the manufacturer is outside the EU, product identification including a picture, and any warnings or safety information.
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), Regulation (EU) 2023/988, applies from 13 December 2024 and sets minimum product information that every online offer of a consumer product in the EU must display. Article 19 lists four categories: manufacturer identity and contact details, an EU responsible person for manufacturers outside the EU, product identification with a picture, and warnings or safety information. For product data teams, these are mandatory attributes that must exist in the PIM (product information management) system and reach every channel.
This article describes the obligations factually; it does not constitute legal advice.
What must an online listing show under GPSR Article 19?
Article 19 applies when economic operators make products available online or through other distance sales. The offer must clearly and visibly indicate at least the following:
| Article 19 point | Required information | Typical PIM attributes |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Name, registered trade name or registered trade mark of the manufacturer, and the postal and electronic address where it can be contacted | Manufacturer entity, trade mark, postal address, email or web contact |
| (b) | Where the manufacturer is not established in the EU: name, postal and electronic address of the responsible person under Article 16(1) GPSR or Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 | EU responsible person entity and contact details |
| (c) | Information allowing identification of the product, including a picture, its type and any other product identifier | Main image, type or model, GTIN, batch or serial reference |
| (d) | Any warning or safety information to be affixed to the product or packaging or included in an accompanying document, in a language easily understood by consumers as determined by the Member State | Localised warnings, safety instructions, pictograms, documents |
Point (d) creates a language requirement per market. A product sold in Belgium, Germany and Poland needs safety information in the languages each Member State specifies, which makes localisation workflows a compliance matter.
What do manufacturers and importers have to provide?
The online information derives from obligations on the physical product. Under Article 9, manufacturers must ensure their products carry a type, batch or serial number or another identifier that consumers can easily see; indicate their name, trade name or trade mark and postal and electronic address on the product, packaging or accompanying document; and supply clear instructions and safety information in a language determined by the Member State. Article 16 requires an economic operator established in the EU for products placed on the EU market, with its details on the product, packaging, parcel or accompanying document.
For PIM teams, this means the same data should drive packaging artwork, instructions and online offers, so a single governed record avoids discrepancies between label and listing.
What changes for online marketplaces?
Article 22 places separate duties on online marketplace providers. They must register with the Safety Gate Portal and designate a single point of contact for market surveillance authorities, provide a contact point for consumers, act on authority orders to remove dangerous offers within two working days, and process product safety notices within three working days. Article 22(9) requires them to design their online interface so traders can supply the required product safety information.
In practice, marketplaces have added mandatory fields for manufacturer, responsible person and safety documents to their listing templates. Brands and retailers should map these fields in their product data syndication set-up so the values come from the PIM.
How should a PIM support GPSR compliance?
GPSR data is mostly master data about organisations and documents. The following capabilities reduce manual effort:
- Reference entities for manufacturers and responsible persons, linked to products, so an address change updates every affected offer.
- Structured identifiers: model or type, GTIN and batch logic in the product data model.
- Localised safety content with completeness rules per target market language.
- Document management for instructions and safety sheets, with versions and validity dates.
- Channel validation that blocks publication when Article 19 fields are empty.
- Governance: named owners for compliance attributes and an audit trail, as part of product data governance.
Fashion and general merchandise retailers with large supplier bases face the heaviest load, since they must collect manufacturer and safety data from many suppliers before listing.
Key takeaways
- GPSR, Regulation (EU) 2023/988, applies from 13 December 2024 and replaced Directive 2001/95/EC.
- Article 19 requires manufacturer details, an EU responsible person where relevant, product identification with a picture, and safety information in online offers.
- Safety information must be in a language determined by each Member State where the product is sold.
- Article 22 requires online marketplaces to enable traders to supply this information and to act on safety orders.
- Model manufacturers and responsible persons as linked entities in the PIM and validate Article 19 fields before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
When did the GPSR start to apply?
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety was adopted on 10 May 2023, published in the Official Journal on 23 May 2023 and applies from 13 December 2024. It repealed the General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC and Council Directive 87/357/EEC. As an EU regulation, it applies directly in all Member States without national transposition.
Does GPSR apply to B2B products?
GPSR covers products intended for consumers or likely to be used by consumers under reasonably foreseeable conditions, including products supplied in the course of a service. Products intended only for professional use fall outside its scope unless consumers are likely to use them. Specific Union harmonisation legislation takes precedence where it covers the same safety aspects.
Who must provide GPSR information on an online marketplace?
The trader offering the product must display the Article 19 information in the offer. Online marketplace providers must design their interfaces so traders can provide it, register with the Safety Gate Portal and act on authority orders. Manufacturers and importers remain responsible for the underlying identification, contact and safety information on the product or its packaging.
For coverage of PXM, PLM and product compliance, including PPWR and DPP, see the independent resource PXM Atlas.