GPSR is the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/988. It has applied since 13 December 2024 to most non-food consumer products sold in the EU and in Northern Ireland. For a UK brand selling on Amazon’s EU stores, it comes down to three things: a responsible person based in the EU, the right details printed on the product, and the same details (plus safety information) shown on the listing.
Amazon enforces it by deactivating offers. Here’s what’s required, what goes where, and how Great Britain differs, as of September 2026.
This is a practical guide from an Amazon agency, not legal advice. For anything specific to your products, talk to a product safety specialist or solicitor.
What is GPSR and who does it apply to?
GPSR sets a general safety requirement for consumer products in the EU and puts named duties on manufacturers, importers, distributors and online marketplaces. It replaced the old General Product Safety Directive and applies from 13 December 2024 (Article 52). It covers new, used, repaired and reconditioned products, and it applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
Food, medicines and a few other categories have their own rules. Almost everything else a DTC brand sells on Amazon is in scope. The duties that matter most to a seller:
| Article | Who it binds | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 9(2)–(3) | Manufacturer | Internal risk analysis and technical documentation, kept for 10 years |
| Art. 9(5) | Manufacturer | Type, batch or serial number on the product, visible to consumers |
| Art. 9(6) | Manufacturer | Name, trade name or trade mark, postal and electronic address on the product (or packaging/accompanying document if not possible) |
| Art. 9(7) | Manufacturer | Instructions and safety information in a language consumers can easily understand, as set by each country |
| Art. 16 | Whoever places product on EU market | An economic operator established in the EU responsible for the product — the “responsible person” |
| Art. 19 | Anyone selling at a distance | The online offer must show manufacturer, responsible person, product identification (with a picture) and warnings |
| Art. 22 | Online marketplaces | Interface that collects and displays that information; act on authority orders within 2 working days |
Penalties aren’t set in the regulation. Article 44 leaves them to each Member State, requiring only that they be “effective, proportionate and dissuasive”.
Do UK sellers need a GPSR responsible person?
Yes, if you sell into any EU Amazon store and you aren’t established in the EU yourself. Article 16(1) says an in-scope product “shall not be placed on the market unless there is an economic operator established in the Union” responsible for it. A UK limited company isn’t, even if its FBA stock sits in German warehouses.
That operator is the responsible person. Under Article 4(2) of the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, which GPSR borrows, it can be:
- A manufacturer established in the EU
- An importer established in the EU
- An authorised representative in the EU, appointed by written mandate
- A fulfilment service provider established in the EU, where none of the above exists
For most UK brands that means option 3, a paid EU authorised representative, unless they have an EU subsidiary or importer.
The role isn’t just an address. Article 16(2) says the responsible person must regularly check the product against its technical documentation and the Article 9(5)–(7) labelling, and show evidence of those checks on request. A cheap service that has never seen your technical file isn’t doing that job, and when an authority calls, it comes back to you.
Ask any provider: do you hold our technical file, do you have a physical EU address (not a PO box), and how fast do you answer authorities?
Is there an EU responsible person via Amazon?
Not as far as we can find: you bring your own EU responsible person to Amazon. Amazon previously offered an optional EU Responsible Person service. Compliance firms report it was withdrawn in 2024; we couldn’t find a public Amazon page confirming the dates. Amazon’s current announcements ask sellers to supply their own responsible person, and third-party providers are the normal route.
What goes on the packaging and what goes on the Amazon listing?
The packaging carries the legal identity of the product; the listing repeats that identity and adds the safety information online. Articles 9, 11 and 16 put details on the product, pack or accompanying document. Article 19 and Article 22(9) put the same core details on the online offer. On Amazon, you enter them once in Seller Central and link them to your ASINs.
The checklist we use for a UK brand selling into the EU and NI, as of September 2026:
| Item | On product / packaging | On the Amazon EU listing | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type, batch or serial number | Yes, visible and legible | Product identifier shown (ASIN/model/type) | Art. 9(5), 19(c) |
| Manufacturer name + postal + email address | Yes | Yes | Art. 9(6), 19(a) |
| EU responsible person name + postal + email address | Yes (product, pack, parcel or insert) | Yes, where manufacturer is outside the EU | Art. 16(3), 19(b) |
| Importer name + address (if there is an EU importer) | Yes | Not required by Art. 19 | Art. 11(3) |
| Product picture | — | Yes | Art. 19(c) |
| Warnings and safety information | Yes, in the local language | Yes, in the local language (image or PDF) | Art. 9(7), 19(d) |
| Instructions for use | Yes, if needed for safe use | Upload as PDF where they carry safety content | Art. 9(7) |
| Technical documentation + risk analysis | Kept on file, 10 years | Not displayed; available on request | Art. 9(2)–(3) |
| CE/UKCA or other sector marks | Where sector law requires | Where sector law requires | Sector legislation, not GPSR |
Two rules catch people out.
“On the product” comes first. Article 9(6) only allows packaging or an insert “where that is not possible” on the product itself.
Language is set per country. Articles 9(7) and 19(d) say “a language which can be easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State”. In practice: German for Amazon.de, French for Amazon.fr, Italian for Amazon.it, and so on. A pan-EU pack usually needs multilingual warnings.
How do you add GPSR information on Amazon?
Use the Manage Your Compliance dashboard, reached from Account Health, and link each ASIN to a manufacturer, a responsible person and its safety documents. Amazon’s Seller Forums announcement told sellers to use the “Add compliance information” widget there, and said the details would appear on the detail page within 24 hours of confirmation.
The sequence that works, as of September 2026:
- Start in Account Health. Amazon lists the brands and offers that need information.
- Create the contacts first. Add your manufacturer and your EU responsible person as saved contacts (name, postal address, email). Listings reference these by email address, so the email you use in a flat file or API feed must match the saved contact exactly.
- Link contacts to ASINs, one by one or in bulk.
- Upload safety information. Warning and safety images or PDFs, tagged with type and language. If the product can be used safely without warnings, you can attest to that instead, but only if it’s true.
- Check the detail page. Amazon now shows compliance documents in a separate “Safety and Product Resources” area, away from your marketing images. Confirm yours appear on each EU store.
For flat files and the Selling Partner API, Amazon published the relevant attributes in November 2024:
| Attribute | What it holds |
|---|---|
gpsr_manufacturer_reference | Manufacturer email, matching a saved contact |
dsa_responsible_party_address | EU responsible person, matching a saved contact |
gpsr_safety_attestation | Yes/no: product safe to use without warnings |
compliance_media | Safety documents: content_type, content_language, source_location |
If a channel tool or feed manages your listings, add these to the template, or every new variation launches without them.
What happens if your Amazon listings aren’t GPSR compliant?
Amazon deactivates the offer. Its forum announcement was plain: after 13 December 2024, “if we become aware of noncompliant offers, such as those with invalid information or expired contracts, we will deactivate them.” Amazon also said non-compliant listings could be ineligible for deals.
Note “expired contracts”: if your responsible person agreement lapses, every offer linked to that contact is exposed.
In practice the EU offer drops out of search, EU FBA stock stops selling while storage fees keep running, and organic rank on that store decays until you’re back. If EU sales dip without an obvious cause, check for suppressed listings early.
Most of these deactivations clear once the information is fixed. If a listing stays down, or it has escalated into an Account Health issue, that’s where a structured reinstatement appeal helps.
GPSR Northern Ireland: how does it work?
The EU regulation applies in Northern Ireland; the old UK rules apply in Great Britain. GOV.UK’s guidance states that in Northern Ireland the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 “were superseded on 13 December 2024” by Regulation (EU) 2023/988. The NI business guidance was last updated on 4 November 2025.
For NI, the responsible economic operator must be “established in either NI or the EU”, according to GOV.UK. It defines established as a real presence (a registered office, headquarters or permanent place of business), and says it “cannot simply be, for example, a PO Box address”. A company based only in England, Scotland or Wales doesn’t qualify on its own.
Amazon’s platform position is narrower than the law. On the Seller Forums, Amazon said that for listings on its UK store, “including FBA products, Amazon’s GPSR policy does not apply”, and that FBA shipments for the UK store cover the whole UK, including Northern Ireland, and can’t exclude it.
So two separate questions:
| Question | Answer as of September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Will Amazon.co.uk ask me for GPSR attributes? | No, per Amazon’s forum statement. The fields are required for EU stores. |
| Does the law apply when my product reaches an NI consumer? | GOV.UK guidance says products placed on the NI market need a responsible economic operator in NI or the EU. |
How an NI authority would treat a GB brand whose goods reach NI only through Amazon.co.uk FBA is a legal question for your adviser. The low-cost fix: an EU responsible person you already use for Amazon.de also covers NI. GOV.UK says a GB business already trading in the EU “should not have to make any additional changes” to operate in NI. Print their details on your UK packs too.
What changes for GPSR UK sellers in Great Britain?
Nothing yet: Great Britain is still on the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, but reform is coming under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025. The Act received Royal Assent on 21 July 2025. It doesn’t impose new duties by itself. It gives ministers powers to make them by secondary legislation.
On 31 March 2026 the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards opened consultations on reforming GB product safety. They closed on 23 June 2026. According to law firm summaries of the consultation, the main proposals include:
- Online marketplace duties. Reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent, find and remove unsafe or non-compliant products, plus seller due diligence and a regulator contact point.
- A UK-based responsible person for some higher-risk products. An authorised representative or importer. Unlike the EU model, fulfilment service providers would not qualify. The consultation hadn’t defined “higher-risk” yet.
- Digital labelling. More flexibility to provide product information digitally rather than only on the pack.
As of 22 September 2026 we haven’t found a published government response or laid regulations, so nothing new is in force in GB. Our assumption, and it’s only that: Amazon.co.uk will ask for UK compliance fields once rules land, as the EU stores did in 2024. Brands with clean per-ASIN safety data will handle it in an afternoon.
Common GPSR Amazon mistakes
Using the UK company as the responsible person. A UK address in that field for EU stores doesn’t meet Article 16.
Listing and packaging that don’t match. Change provider and you must update the pack artwork and every linked ASIN.
Attesting “no warnings needed” to clear the flag. On a product with a real hazard (small parts, heat, batteries) that’s a false statement, and your legal duty doesn’t change.
No batch number or technical file. Article 9(5) needs a visible identifier on the product, and Article 9(2) a risk analysis kept for 10 years.
Launching a new market without the data. Adding an EU store doesn’t create the local-language safety documents for you. Plan it as part of expanding into new marketplaces.
Letting the contract lapse. One missed renewal can take your whole EU catalogue offline.
A quick readiness check
Score each line yes or no. It’s a working heuristic, not a legal test.
- We have an EU (or NI) responsible person under a written mandate, with a renewal date in the diary.
- They hold our technical documentation and risk analysis.
- Every product or pack shows the manufacturer and responsible person name, postal and email address.
- Every product carries a visible type, batch or serial number.
- Safety warnings exist in the language of every EU store we sell in.
- In Amazon, every EU ASIN is linked to a manufacturer contact, a responsible person contact and safety documents (or a truthful attestation).
- Our listing templates carry the GPSR attributes, so new ASINs launch compliant.
Under five yeses, and one Account Health sweep could take a market offline. It’s part of how we run Amazon account management for brands selling across the UK and EU.
FAQ
What is GPSR?
GPSR is the EU General Product Safety Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/988. It has applied since 13 December 2024 and requires consumer products sold in the EU and Northern Ireland to be safe, traceable and labelled with manufacturer and responsible person details. It also puts specific duties on online marketplaces such as Amazon to collect and display that information.
Do I need an EU responsible person to sell on Amazon Europe from the UK?
Yes, for in-scope products. Article 16 requires an economic operator established in the EU for each product placed on the EU market. A UK company isn’t established in the EU, so most UK brands appoint an EU authorised representative, or use an EU importer or subsidiary. Amazon asks for their details before the offer can stay live.
Does GPSR apply to Amazon UK?
Not in Great Britain. GB still follows the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Amazon has said its GPSR policy doesn’t apply to listings on its UK store, including FBA. Northern Ireland is different: the EU regulation applies there, so check with an adviser how that affects products reaching NI customers.
What GPSR information has to be on the Amazon listing?
Under Article 19: the manufacturer’s name, postal and email address; the EU responsible person’s details if the manufacturer is outside the EU; product identification including a picture and type; and any warnings or safety information in the local language. On Amazon you add these through the Manage Your Compliance dashboard or listing attributes.
Can a UK company be the GPSR responsible person for Northern Ireland?
Only if it is established in Northern Ireland. GOV.UK guidance says the responsible economic operator must be established in NI or the EU, meaning a real presence rather than a PO box. A company with a presence only in Great Britain doesn’t qualify on its own. An existing EU responsible person does.
What happens if my Amazon listings aren’t GPSR compliant?
Amazon deactivates non-compliant offers on its EU stores, including those with invalid information or expired responsible person contracts, and they may lose eligibility for deals. Separately, national authorities can take enforcement action, with penalties set by each Member State. Fixing the data usually brings the listing back.
Is the UK bringing in its own version of GPSR?
Reform is under way. The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 gives the government powers to set new duties, and consultations that closed on 23 June 2026 proposed online marketplace duties and a UK responsible person for some higher-risk products. As of September 2026, no regulations are in force.
Sami Sultan runs Ecom Enable, an Amazon growth partner for DTC brands. Regulation text, GOV.UK guidance and Amazon’s GPSR announcements checked 22 September 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. If you’re selling into Amazon’s EU stores and want your listings and compliance data checked, it’s part of our free Amazon audit.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety, EUR-Lex (Articles 9, 11, 16, 19, 22, 44, 52); GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations — Northern Ireland; GOV.UK: EU Regulation 2023/988 detailed guidance for NI; GOV.UK: EU Regulation 2023/988 factsheet; GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 — Great Britain; Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, legislation.gov.uk; UK Parliament written statement HCWS1496, 13 April 2026; Jones Day on the 2026 UK product safety consultations; Lewis Silkin on the PRaM Act 2025; Amazon Seller Forums: GPSR announcement; Amazon Seller Forums: Manage GPSR compliance with new detail page format; Amazon Seller Forums: Prove GPSR compliance on the Account Health page; Amazon Seller Forums: GPSR and Northern Ireland shipping (Amazon staff reply); Amazon SP-API changelog: GPSR attributes; Lengow Help Center on Amazon GPSR attributes; EARP on the end of Amazon’s Responsible Person service.
