GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation): meaning for brand owners
GPSR applies to most consumer products sold in the EU, and it treats the brand owner as the manufacturer.
Definition
GPSRGPSR is the EU General Product Safety Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/988, which has applied since 13 December 2024. It sets safety requirements for consumer products placed on the EU market, including internal risk analysis and technical documentation, an economic operator in the EU responsible for each product, and information duties for online offers.
What GPSR means for a product brand
Under GPSR, a business that places a product on the market under its own name or trademark is treated as its manufacturer, whoever physically made it. Before placing it on the market, the manufacturer must carry out an internal risk analysis and draw up technical documentation (Article 9). Importers keep a copy of that documentation for 10 years.
Every product covered by GPSR needs an economic operator established in the EU who is responsible for it, as set out in Article 16. If the manufacturer is outside the EU, this can be an importer, an authorised representative or, in some cases, a fulfilment service provider; see EU responsible person. Where the manufacturer is outside the EU, online offers must show the responsible person’s name and contact details (Article 19).
GPSR also applies to products covered by sector rules, such as toys or electrical goods, for the safety aspects those rules do not cover. A common mistake is assuming that CE marking or a test report from the factory covers everything. Another is launching on a marketplace with no responsible person arranged, because the offer itself has to name one.
This is general information, not legal advice; in a project we check it with a licensed specialist. Our compliance stage maps GPSR duties per product, and the EU market page covers other rules that apply in the EU.
Related terms
EU responsible person
The EU-based operator answerable to authorities for a product’s compliance.
CE marking
The manufacturer’s mark that a product meets the EU harmonised rules that require it.
EPR (extended producer responsibility)
Rules that make producers responsible for the waste stage of their packaging and products.
CPNP
The EU portal where a cosmetic product is notified by its responsible person before sale.
Frequently asked questions
When did GPSR start to apply?
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since 13 December 2024, replacing the earlier General Product Safety Directive.
Does GPSR apply to products sold online from outside the EU?
Yes, when they are offered to consumers in the EU. A responsible economic operator established in the EU is required, and where the manufacturer is outside the EU, online offers must show that operator’s name and contact details.
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