What Is GPSR – and Why Should You Know About It?
On 13 December 2024, the EU’s new regulation on general product safety came into force. The regulation is officially called the General Product Safety Regulation – abbreviated GPSR – and replaces the former General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) from 2001. With GPSR, the EU shifts from a directive, which member states implemented individually into national legislation, to a regulation that applies directly and uniformly across all EU countries.
If you sell consumer products in the EU, GPSR is something you need to address – regardless of whether you are a manufacturer, importer, distributor or sell via an online marketplace. In this article, we review what the regulation entails, who it affects, and what you specifically need to do to comply with the new requirements.
From GPSD to GPSR: What Has Changed?
The old Product Safety Directive (GPSD) dates from 2001 and was for many years the foundation for safety requirements for consumer products not covered by sector-specific legislation. But the directive was not designed for a world of e-commerce, online marketplaces and global supply chains. GPSR addresses precisely these gaps.
The most important differences between GPSD and GPSR are:
- Directly applicable legislation: As a regulation, GPSR applies uniformly across all EU countries without national implementation. This eliminates differences in interpretation between member states.
- Online marketplaces are now covered: Platforms such as Amazon, eBay and similar now have independent obligations to ensure that products on their platforms comply with safety requirements.
- Stricter traceability requirements: There are now more stringent requirements for products to be traceable throughout the entire supply chain.
- Modernised risk assessment: GPSR contains more detailed requirements for how businesses must assess risks associated with their products, including risks related to digital and connected products.
- Strengthened market surveillance: Authorities have been given better tools to monitor the market and respond more quickly to dangerous products.
The New Requirements: What You Need to Know
Traceability Throughout the Supply Chain
Under GPSR, all economic operators in the supply chain must be able to identify who they received a product from and who they delivered it to. Products must bear sufficient identification – typically via batch number, serial number or other unique marking – so they can be traced if a safety issue arises.
For your business, this means that your product documentation must be systematic and up to date. You must be able to document at any time which products you have sold and who you purchased them from.
Requirements for Online Marketplaces
If you sell via online marketplaces, it is worth knowing that GPSR imposes new obligations on platforms. They must, among other things, have internal processes for handling product safety, cooperate with market surveillance authorities and remove dangerous products quickly. But as a seller, this does not remove your own responsibility – you must still ensure that your products are safe and properly documented.
Internal Risk Assessment
GPSR tightens the requirements for risk assessment. You must not only document that your product is safe – you must also document how you arrived at that conclusion. This involves a systematic assessment of potential hazards, including chemical, mechanical, electrical and digital risks.
The risk assessment must be proportional to the product’s complexity, but it must always be documented and available to the authorities.
Who Is Affected by GPSR?
GPSR applies to all consumer products that are not covered by sector-specific EU legislation (such as medical devices, food or cosmetics). The regulation affects:
- Manufacturers – including businesses that sell products under their own name or brand.
- Importers – businesses that bring products from third countries into the EU market.
- Distributors – all links in the supply chain that make products available on the market.
- Fulfilment providers – businesses that handle warehousing and shipping.
- Online marketplaces – platforms that facilitate direct sales to consumers.
In short: if you are in any way involved in selling consumer products in the EU, you are covered.
The Requirement for a Responsible Person
One of the most important new elements in GPSR is the requirement that there must be a responsible person established in the EU for every product marketed in the union. This person must ensure that the technical documentation is available, cooperate with the authorities and take steps to remedy problems if a product turns out to be dangerous.
For businesses established in the EU, the responsible person will typically be the manufacturer or importer themselves. But for businesses outside the EU – for example, Chinese manufacturers selling directly to European consumers via online platforms – GPSR requires them to appoint an authorised representative in the EU.
The responsible person’s contact details must appear on the product or its packaging. This creates transparency for both consumers and authorities.
Practical Steps for Implementation
If you have not yet addressed GPSR, it is time to get started. Here is a practical approach:
1. Map your products. Identify which of your products are covered by GPSR and which fall under sector-specific legislation.
2. Review your traceability. Do you have control over batch numbers, serial numbers and supplier documentation? Can you trace each product from supplier to end customer?
3. Update your risk assessment. Conduct a systematic risk assessment for each product range. Document the process and conclusions.
4. Appoint a responsible person. Ensure that there is a responsible person in the EU for each product, and that the contact details appear on the product or packaging.
5. Adapt labelling and packaging. Verify that all products are correctly labelled with the necessary information, including traceability data and contact details of the responsible person.
6. Establish internal procedures. Set up processes for handling product recalls, complaints and cooperation with authorities.
7. Stay up to date. GPSR is part of a broader EU compliance landscape that is constantly evolving. See all EU compliance changes in 2025 to stay informed.
Non-compliance can have serious consequences – both financially and for your company’s reputation. Read about the consequences of non-compliance to understand what is at stake.
How Conphora Helps You with GPSR Compliance
GPSR places significant demands on documentation, traceability and systematic processes – and that is exactly what Conphora is built to handle. With Conphora, you can:
- Centralise your product documentation – gather risk assessments, technical documentation, declarations of conformity and labelling requirements in one place.
- Keep track of traceability – link products to suppliers, batch numbers and distribution channels.
- Automate reminders – receive notifications when documentation needs updating or when new requirements come into force.
- Prepare for audits – generate overviews and reports that make it easy to demonstrate compliance to authorities.
See how Conphora works – and discover how you can turn GPSR compliance into a manageable task rather than a headache.
Ready to get your GPSR compliance in order? Conphora gives you the overview and tools to meet the new requirements – without unnecessary complexity. Start free today and see what Conphora can do for your business →