GPSR in adult product stores: what each product page requires

The GPSR for adult products caught much of the sector by surprise, and there are still stores that do not know it applies to them. It does: the General Product Safety Regulation covers practically everything sold in this catalog, and the obligations are per product page, not per store.

What it is and since when

Regulation (EU) 2023/988 has applied since December 13, 2024 throughout the European Union. It replaces the previous directive and, above all, adapts it to online commerce: for the first time it sets explicit obligations on what must be shown on the product page before purchase.

GPSR for adult products: the five details on each product page

1. Manufacturer: name, registered trademark, and postal address, plus an email or contact website.
2. Responsible person in the EU: if the manufacturer is outside the Union, someone inside is needed to take responsibility. Without that figure, the product cannot be sold.
3. Product identification: reference, model, batch, or serial number, and an image that allows it to be recognized.
4. Safety warnings: in the language of the country where you sell, not only in the manufacturer’s language.
5. Instructions for use when the product requires them.

Why GPSR for adult products hurts more than in other sectors

For two reasons that come together. The first is volume: a wholesaler catalog means thousands of references, and this data has to be added to all of them. The second is that a large part of the catalog is material that comes into contact with the body —silicone, lubricants, cosmetics— where warnings are not a formality.

And there is a third, more uncomfortable one: in dropshipping, you are the seller. The fact that the wholesaler has the data does not exempt you; it has to be on your product page.

What happens if you do not comply with GPSR

Penalties are set by each Member State and in Spain they can be significant, but the most common practical risk comes earlier: a payment gateway that reviews your store and suspends your account, or a marketplace that removes your products. Platforms are applying the regulation faster than inspections.

How to comply with thousands of products

Doing it manually is impossible, so the practical approach is layered:

• Ask the wholesaler for the data. They have it, or they should. That is the starting point.
• Apply what is common by brand. All products from a manufacturer share the manufacturer data: fill it in once and propagate it.
• Leave the specific details for last. Warnings and batches are per product and cannot be generalized.
• Translate the warnings into each language in which you sell. It is an obligation, not a courtesy.
• Block what does not comply. It is better to have a product unpublished than an incomplete product page visible to customers.

Who is responsible for what in the chain

One of the most common confusions with GPSR for adult products is thinking that responsibility lies only with the manufacturer. The regulation divides obligations by role, and in an online store you may have several at once.

• Manufacturer: ensures the product is safe and provides the technical documentation.
• Importer: if you bring products from outside the EU, you assume much of the manufacturer’s obligations.
• Distributor: you check that the product carries the mandatory information before selling it. This is where most stores are.
• Online marketplace provider: specific obligations to inform the buyer before purchase.

The practical consequence: even if you only resell, you have a duty to check. Selling a product without the mandatory data is not justified by saying the wholesaler gave it to you that way.

How to roll it out in phases without blocking the store

Complying with GPSR for adult products across a large catalog does not happen in one day. This is the order that works:

1. Inventory. How many product pages you have and how many different brands. Almost always a few brands cover most of the catalog.
2. Common data first. Manufacturer and EU responsible person by brand: that covers the bulk in an afternoon.
3. Specific details later. Warnings and instructions, starting with the products you sell most.
4. Translate the warnings for each market where you sell.
5. Review new items. Each supplier import brings new products: if there is no control, the backlog grows again on its own.

European authorities publish notices of dangerous products withdrawn from the market on the Safety Gate portal, and it is worth checking if you sell risk categories: removing a flagged product in time saves you the whole problem.

And do not forget age verification

GPSR is one obligation; age verification is a different one, and both coexist in this sector. An adult products store needs a barrier at the entrance, and that is the first thing a payment gateway looks at when reviewing your application. It is solved with an age verification plugin that records the check and does not repeat it on every visit.

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If you are setting up the store now, the full order is in the sector dropshipping guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does GPSR for adult products also apply in dropshipping?

Yes. You are the one placing the product on the market before the buyer, so the information has to be on your product page even if the wholesaler handles shipping.

Is it enough to put the data on a general page?

No. The information must be accessible on the product page, before purchase.

What exactly is the “responsible person”?

A natural or legal person established in the EU who is responsible for the product. It can be the manufacturer, the importer, or an authorized representative.

Does it apply to second-hand products?

With nuances, but in an online store with a new catalog the question is rarely relevant.

What if the wholesaler does not give me the data?

Then you have a serious problem with that supplier, because without that information you should not sell those products. Insist, and if they do not provide it, reconsider the supplier.