The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) became effective in December 2024, and if you’re selling products to EU customers through your Shopify store, compliance isn’t optional—it’s mandatory.
Don’t panic. While GPSR might sound intimidating, implementing compliance in your Shopify store is straightforward when you know the right approach. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from understanding the requirements to bulk-implementing compliance using Matrixify.
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is EU legislation that regulates how consumer products are advertised and sold within the European Union. If you’re selling physical products to EU customers, this applies to you—regardless of where your business is located.
Key deadline: The regulation came into effect in December 2024, meaning compliance is required now, not later.
GPSR replaces the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) and introduces stricter requirements for product information, traceability, and manufacturer responsibility. The biggest change? Digital marketplaces and online sellers now have explicit obligations that weren’t clearly defined before.
Here’s what you must include for every product sold to EU customers:
If your manufacturer is outside the EU, you must designate an EU Responsible Person:
The most efficient way to handle GPSR compliance in Shopify is through product metafields. This approach keeps your compliance information organized, searchable, and separate from your marketing content.
Navigate to your Shopify admin and create these essential metafields:
Settings > Metafields > Products > Add metafield
Create these metafields:
1. Manufacturer Name
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: manufacturer_name
- Type: Single line text
2. Manufacturer Address
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: manufacturer_address
- Type: Multi-line text
3. Manufacturer Email
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: manufacturer_email
- Type: Single line text
4. EU Responsible Person
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: eu_responsible_person
- Type: Multi-line text
5. Product Identifier
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: product_identifier
- Type: Single line text
6. Safety Instructions
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: safety_instructions
- Type: Multi-line text
7. Batch/Serial Number
- Namespace: gpsr
- Key: batch_serial
- Type: Single line text
Add this code to your product template (usually sections/product-form.liquid or similar):
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_name -%}
<div class="gpsr-compliance-info">
<h3>Product Information (GPSR Compliance)</h3>
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_name -%}
<p><strong>Manufacturer:</strong> {{ product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_name }}</p>
{%- endif -%}
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_address -%}
<p><strong>Address:</strong> {{ product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_address | newline_to_br }}</p>
{%- endif -%}
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_email -%}
<p><strong>Contact:</strong> {{ product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_email }}</p>
{%- endif -%}
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.eu_responsible_person -%}
<p><strong>EU Responsible Person:</strong> {{ product.metafields.gpsr.eu_responsible_person | newline_to_br }}</p>
{%- endif -%}
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.product_identifier -%}
<p><strong>Product ID:</strong> {{ product.metafields.gpsr.product_identifier }}</p>
{%- endif -%}
{%- if product.metafields.gpsr.safety_instructions -%}
<div class="safety-instructions">
<strong>Safety Information:</strong>
{{ product.metafields.gpsr.safety_instructions | newline_to_br }}
</div>
{%- endif -%}
</div>
{%- endif -%}
Add this CSS to your theme’s stylesheet:
.gpsr-compliance-info {
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 4px;
padding: 20px;
margin: 20px 0;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.gpsr-compliance-info h3 {
margin-top: 0;
color: #333;
font-size: 16px;
}
.gpsr-compliance-info p {
margin: 8px 0;
font-size: 14px;
line-height: 1.4;
}
.safety-instructions {
margin-top: 15px;
padding: 10px;
background-color: #fff3cd;
border-left: 3px solid #ffc107;
}
Managing GPSR compliance for hundreds or thousands of products manually would be nightmare. Here’s how to use Matrixify to bulk-update your product metafields efficiently.
In Matrixify:
Open the exported CSV and add these columns (if they don’t exist):
Metafield: gpsr.manufacturer_name [Single line text]
Metafield: gpsr.manufacturer_address [Multi-line text]
Metafield: gpsr.manufacturer_email [Single line text]
Metafield: gpsr.eu_responsible_person [Multi-line text]
Metafield: gpsr.product_identifier [Single line text]
Metafield: gpsr.safety_instructions [Multi-line text]
Metafield: gpsr.batch_serial [Single line text]
Pro tip: Use spreadsheet formulas to auto-populate repetitive information:
For products from the same manufacturer:
=IF(A2<>"", "Your Manufacturer Name", "")
For EU Responsible Person (if using a service):
=IF(A2<>"", "EU Rep Service Name
123 EU Street
Brussels, Belgium
[email protected]", "")
For product identifiers using SKU:
=IF(B2<>"", "Model: " & B2, "")
After import:
Show GPSR information only to EU customers:
{%- assign customer_country = customer.default_address.country_code | default: cart.attributes.country -%}
{%- assign eu_countries = 'AT,BE,BG,CY,CZ,DE,DK,EE,ES,FI,FR,GR,HR,HU,IE,IT,LT,LU,LV,MT,NL,PL,PT,RO,SE,SI,SK' | split: ',' -%}
{%- if eu_countries contains customer_country -%}
<!-- Display GPSR information -->
{%- endif -%}
For stores serving multiple EU countries:
{%- case request.locale.iso_code -%}
{%- when 'de' -%}
{%- assign safety_text = product.metafields.gpsr.safety_instructions_de -%}
{%- when 'fr' -%}
{%- assign safety_text = product.metafields.gpsr.safety_instructions_fr -%}
{%- else -%}
{%- assign safety_text = product.metafields.gpsr.safety_instructions -%}
{%- endcase -%}
Set up notifications for products missing GPSR data:
{%- unless product.metafields.gpsr.manufacturer_name -%}
<!-- Log missing compliance data -->
<script>
console.warn('GPSR compliance data missing for product: {{ product.title }}');
</script>
{%- endunless -%}
Wrong: Adding manufacturer information to product descriptions Right: Using dedicated metafields that can be systematically managed
Wrong: “Manufactured in China” Right: “ABC Manufacturing Ltd, 123 Industrial Road, Guangzhou, China, [email protected]”
Wrong: Only adding GPSR data to the main product Right: Ensuring each variant has appropriate identification
Wrong: Hardcoding GPSR information that can’t be easily updated Right: Using metafields that can be bulk-updated as regulations change
If your manufacturer is outside the EU, you need an EU Responsible Person. Here are your options:
Product Audits:
System Checks:
Documentation Updates:
Use Shopify Flow or third-party apps to monitor compliance:
Trigger: Product Created
Condition: GPSR manufacturer name is empty
Action: Send email alert to compliance team
GPSR violations can result in:
The cost of compliance is minimal compared to these risks.
Based on real discussions from the Shopify community, here’s what merchants are facing and practical solutions that actually work.
The biggest question: Do products sold before December 13, 2024 need GPSR compliance?
Article 51 states: “Member States shall not impede the making available on the market of products covered by Directive 2001/95/EC which are in conformity with that Directive and which were placed on the market before 13 December 2024.”
In plain English: Products that were already being sold in the EU before December 13, 2024, and comply with existing safety directives, can continue to be sold without the new GPSR requirements.
The enforcement reality: Customs officials have no practical way to verify when your specific product was first listed. As one merchant noted, “How will they know which items are exempt? They can’t open every parcel to check when products were first sold.”
Practical approach:
A: Yes, you are the manufacturer. If you create the final product that customers buy, you’re considered the manufacturer under GPSR. You don’t need to list every component supplier.
What you need:
A: No, digital products are exempt. GPSR applies to physical “products” only. The regulation defines products as physical items that could pose safety risks.
Digital products that are clearly exempt:
A: It depends on your total EU revenue and growth plans.
Quick cost-benefit analysis:
Alternative strategies for small merchants:
A: Enforcement reality is unclear. Merchants report:
Current merchant strategies:
✅ Implement full GPSR if:
❌ Consider pausing EU sales if:
For Small Merchants (€500-2,000 EU revenue):
For Growing Merchants (€2,000+ EU revenue):
Challenge: Sources components from multiple suppliers worldwide Solution:
Challenge: Brands refuse to provide EU representation Solution:
Challenge: Dynamic product creation makes pre-listing difficult Solution:
Phase 1: Immediate (This Week)
Phase 2: Basic Compliance (Next 2 Weeks)
Phase 3: Scale (Next Month)
For Very Small Merchants:
For Growing Merchants:
Here’s something most merchants miss: GPSR compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building customer trust.
EU customers are increasingly aware of product safety regulations. When they see comprehensive manufacturer information and safety details on your product pages, it signals professionalism and reliability. This transparency can actually increase conversion rates while ensuring compliance.
Your competitors who ignore GPSR are playing with fire. By implementing proper compliance now, you’re not just avoiding risk—you’re positioning your store as the trustworthy choice for EU customers.
For small merchants: Don’t let GPSR scare you away from the EU market entirely. Use the strategies above to find a cost-effective compliance path that works for your business size and EU sales volume.
Don’t wait for enforcement actions or customer complaints. Start with your best-selling products, implement the metafield structure we’ve outlined, and use Matrixify to scale your compliance efficiently.
Remember: GPSR compliance is not optional. It’s a cost of doing business in the EU market. The question isn’t whether you should comply—it’s how quickly you can get compliant while maintaining operational efficiency.
Your EU customers deserve products that meet safety standards, and your business deserves the protection that comes with proper compliance. Get started today.
Need help with GPSR implementation? Consider consulting with legal experts familiar with EU product safety regulations to ensure your specific products meet all applicable requirements.