GPSR 2026: How Etsy and eBay Sellers Can Avoid Listing Suspensions

Since 19 February 2026, the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) has been fully in force in Germany. Anyone selling on Etsy, eBay or Amazon must display certain mandatory information in every listing — otherwise listings can be suspended and fines of up to €100,000 may apply. This practical guide shows what is actually required.

Table of contents

• What is the GPSR — and who is affected?
• The information every 2026 listing must contain
• Implementing GPSR on Etsy, eBay and Amazon
• Practical example: Etsy seller with handmade candles
• What happens if you do nothing?
• Five steps to GPSR compliance
• Frequently asked questions
• Conclusion
• Sources

What is the GPSR — and who is affected?

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), Regulation (EU) 2023/988, replaces the old EU product safety directive. It has been applicable EU-wide since 13 December 2024. In Germany the national Product Safety Act (ProdSG) was amended and has been fully in force since 19 February 2026. The competent federal market surveillance authority is the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), with enforcement also carried out at state level.

The scope is not limited to large brands. The GPSR explicitly addresses manufacturers, importers, distributors and online marketplaces. Small businesses, part-time Etsy sellers and commercial eBay sellers must comply as soon as they offer consumer products in the EU. There is no minimum threshold based on revenue or units sold.

What does this mean for you? As soon as you sell a physical consumer product — from a wooden cutting board to a Bluetooth lamp or a crocheted hat — you are subject to the GPSR.

The information every 2026 listing must contain

Article 19 GPSR requires specific mandatory information in distance selling that the buyer can see before purchase. Each online offer must include:

• Name, and where applicable registered trade name or trademark of the manufacturer
• Postal address and electronic contact address (usually email) of the manufacturer
• Product identification: name, type, model or article number, and a photo
• Where relevant: warnings and safety information in the local language

If the manufacturer is established outside the EU, an additional block is required: name, postal address and electronic address of the so-called responsible person in the EU (Article 16 GPSR). This role can be filled by the EU importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider that stores and ships the products inside the EU.

What does this mean for you? If you are a solo entrepreneur producing your own goods and selling them in Germany, you simply enter your own company details. If you import products from China, the UK or the US, you need a responsible person in the EU — otherwise the products cannot be offered.

Implementing GPSR on Etsy, eBay and Amazon

All three major marketplaces introduced dedicated input fields for GPSR data in 2025 and 2026. The forms differ, but the principle is the same.

On eBay you can find the GPSR fields in the Seller Hub under the section for regulatory contact information and responsible parties. Enter the manufacturer contact and, where applicable, the responsible person. eBay allows you to store the details once and apply them to all listings.

Etsy requests product safety information directly in the item details. The Etsy Seller Handbook and Help Center provide step-by-step instructions; missing information leads to listings being hidden in the EU. For handmade sellers who are themselves the manufacturer, this is done in minutes — own address, own email, done.

Amazon uses the Compliance Reference system and links GPSR data to ASINs. Private-label sellers must enter the responsible person for EU-imported products. Listings without data are gradually deactivated.

What does this mean for you? Plan 30–60 minutes per platform — entering master data once is enough for many products. It only gets time-consuming if you list hundreds of different manufacturers.

Practical example: Etsy seller with handmade candles

Maria runs a part-time Etsy shop selling soy wax candles she pours herself. She is a small business under § 19 of the German VAT Act, ships 30–50 parcels per month within Germany and to a few EU countries.

Because Maria makes the candles herself, she is the manufacturer for GPSR purposes. In the Etsy product details she enters her full name, postal address and email address. She also adds a short safety note per product ("Never leave a burning candle unattended, keep at least 30 cm distance from flammable materials") and a photo that clearly identifies the candle. With that, Maria is GPSR-compliant.

What does this mean for you? If you only sell what you produce yourself, in Germany or within the EU, your own master data plus a clear safety note per product category usually does the job.

What happens if you do nothing?

Article 22 GPSR explicitly requires online marketplaces to suspend or remove listings if mandatory information is missing or invalid. Amazon, eBay and Etsy are making active use of this and are hiding many listings in 2026.

Fines also apply. The German Product Safety Act sets fines for infringements — depending on the severity of the offence up to €10,000 or, in qualified cases, up to €100,000 (cf. § 28 ProdSG). Competitor warning letters under unfair competition law are also possible, since missing mandatory information can be seen as an unfair act.

What does this mean for you? Even if you are currently below the radar — as soon as one listing is suspended or a warning letter arrives, the response costs more time and money than setting up the GPSR data once.

Five steps to GPSR compliance

1. Clarify your role: are you a manufacturer (own products), an importer (non-EU goods) or a distributor (reselling EU goods)? Your concrete obligations follow from that.
2. Collect the master data: full company address, email contact and, where applicable, the data of the responsible person in the EU.
3. Enter the data in all relevant marketplaces — eBay, Etsy, Amazon, plus Otto, Kaufland or your own shop if relevant.
4. Check every product for a safety notice. For toys, electrical goods, candles, cosmetics and anything with injury potential, a clear notice is mandatory.
5. Document internally what you do: short technical description per product, sources, product photos. In the event of a market surveillance enquiry, this documentation counts.

Centralised management of supplier contact details, product descriptions and receipts is exactly what tools such as PepperTools Supplier Orders and the built-in document management are designed for.

Frequently asked questions

Does the GPSR also apply to me as a small business?

Yes. The GPSR has no revenue or size threshold. As soon as you offer a consumer product in the EU, the obligations apply — regardless of whether you operate as a small business under § 19 of the German VAT Act or as a VAT-registered company.

Are digital products or downloads affected?

No. The GPSR applies to physical consumer products. Digital content, pure services or software without a carrier medium are not covered. If you run an e-book shop, you have no GPSR obligations.

Is a legal notice on the shop page enough?

No. The mandatory information must be visible in the offer itself — in every individual product listing, not just in the legal notice. Marketplaces implement this through dedicated fields.

What is a "responsible person in the EU"?

A natural or legal person established in the EU that can be contacted by market surveillance authorities. The role can be filled by an EU importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider. Without one, products from non-EU countries cannot be offered.

Do I also have to update existing items?

Yes, as long as the products continue to be offered. Pure remainders placed on the market before 13 December 2024 benefit from a transition rule — new listings must be compliant from the start.

Conclusion

The GPSR is no longer just a theoretical EU document — it is a concrete compliance topic that is being enforced on marketplaces in 2026. Etsy, eBay and Amazon sellers who calmly add the mandatory information avoid suspensions, warning letters and fines. Clean documentation of supplier and product data — as built into the PepperTools Office Cloud — makes the process noticeably easier. If you are interested in similar EU rules in everyday e-commerce, also read our practical guides on the PPWR Packaging Regulation 2026 and the eBay changes 2026 for commercial sellers.

Sources

1. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — General Product Safety Regulation (BAuA) — Official FAQ from the competent federal authority on GPSR and recall management.
2. BAuA — Product Safety Act — Overview from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on ProdSG implementation in Germany.
3. Cologne Chamber of Commerce — GPSR: New rules on product labelling — IHK practical guide to implementing the Product Safety Regulation.
4. Munich Chamber of Commerce — FAQ on the new Product Safety Regulation — Frequently asked questions from an SME perspective.
5. ZDH — Product Safety Regulation (GPSR): consequences for businesses — Assessment by the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts.
6. eBay — Providing contact details and designating responsible parties — Official eBay guide for GPSR entries in the Seller Hub.
7. eBay — General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) — Overview of obligations and help in the eBay Seller Portal.
8. Etsy Help — General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) — Official Etsy help page with step-by-step instructions.
9. Etsy Seller Handbook — Selling Consumer Products to Europe Under the GPSR — Practical guide for Etsy sellers shipping in the EU.

Note: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice. For your individual case, please consult a tax advisor or lawyer.