Why fitness is a regulated category on Amazon
Sellers of dumbbells, mats, bands, bottles and accessories often start with a supplier’s photos and a listing. Since 13 December 2024 the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, known as GPSR, applies to consumer products sold in the EU, and marketplaces enforce it. A product that lacks the required data can be taken down, and the seller is asked for documents. This guide covers what GPSR asks, what goes on the label and how to prepare cartons for Amazon FBA.
It is not legal advice. For your own product, check the requirements with the marketplace and your adviser.
GPSR: the main duties
For every consumer product, someone established in the EU must be responsible for it. This can be the manufacturer, an authorised representative or an importer. If your factory is outside the EU and you do not have an EU representative, the product has no responsible person, which is the most common gap we see among new sellers.
The product or its packaging must show:
- the name, postal address and e-mail address of the manufacturer, and of the EU economic operator if the manufacturer is outside the EU;
- information that identifies the product, such as the type, batch or serial number;
- warnings and safety information in the language of the country where it is sold.
The same data must appear in the online listing. A seller must also keep technical documentation, handle complaints and be ready to cooperate with authorities. Importers have their own duties in Article 11, including checking that the manufacturer has done its work.
Who can be your EU responsible person
There are three common routes. You can be the importer yourself, with a European company and the paperwork that follows. You can appoint an authorised representative, a service that takes the role for a fee. Or you can buy through an EU importer, who places the goods on the market and whose name and address go on the product. We work as an importer: the goods arrive with an EU invoice, our details are the economic operator, and you sell them under your brand as a private label customer. See our page for online sellers.
Labels that satisfy GPSR and Amazon
A compliant label for a fitness product should carry:
- the product name and type or model number;
- a batch or lot code;
- the EU economic operator’s name, postal address and e-mail address;
- warnings and instructions in the language of each country of sale;
- material warnings where they apply, for example a latex allergy notice;
- the EAN or barcode used for the listing;
- country of origin if you use it.
Small products such as bands or grips have little space, so put the data on the retail packaging or an insert. Languages multiply: a pack sold in Germany, France and Italy needs three sets of warnings. This is why multilingual labels are included in our private label service.
Product-specific rules
GPSR is only the base. Depending on what you sell, these rules also apply:
- Rubber, PVC and PU products: REACH Annex XVII limits PAHs and phthalates, so a test report is useful when a customer or the marketplace asks.
- Electrical products: CE marking, the Low Voltage and EMC directives, RoHS, and the Radio Equipment Directive for Bluetooth. WEEE registration is needed per country, and marketplaces may ask for the registration number.
- Helmets, swim vests and children’s products: PPE rules or toy safety may apply, and certificates are required. We only sell these with matching certificates.
- Packaging: extended producer responsibility, such as LUCID in Germany, BDO in Poland and Triman in France, with a sports-goods scheme in France as well.
Our quality page has these rules by product type.
Preparing cartons for FBA
Amazon’s fulfilment centres have rules for cartons and labels, and they change, so confirm the current requirements in Seller Central. In general, practical points are:
- each unit needs a scannable barcode, either the manufacturer’s EAN or an Amazon label;
- products must be packed so that they cannot be damaged by normal handling;
- cartons need a shipping label and should not exceed the weight limit for a carton, which Amazon sets;
- a set sold as one unit should be closed or labelled as a set;
- heavy items, such as kettlebells and plates, are subject to limits on weight and handling.
Plan the carton size with the factory before production. A carton that fits the weight and size limits saves you re-packing in Europe, which is an expensive step. Ask for carton marks, barcodes and a label layout to be printed at the factory where your order is large enough.
Plan the pack before the order
The cheapest moment to fix labels is before production. Ask the factory to print the EAN, the batch field and the multilingual warnings on the retail pack or insert, and approve a printed sample. Correcting labels in Europe means opening cartons and re-labelling by hand, which costs time and can delay a launch past the season. If you plan to sell in several countries, decide the language set at the start, and check that each language is spelt and punctuated correctly by a native speaker.
Listing compliance
Online listings must show the same economic operator data as the pack, plus warnings and instructions. Photos should show the label and the language of the warnings. Keep a folder for each product with the specification, test reports, manual and label artwork. When a complaint arrives, you have a day or two, not weeks, to respond.
| Document | Why you keep it |
|---|---|
| Product specification and photos | Identifies exactly what you sell |
| Test reports (materials, electrical, etc.) | Answers marketplace and authority requests |
| Manual and warnings in sales languages | GPSR information duty |
| Label artwork and batch records | Traceability |
| Import documents | Evidence of the economic operator’s role |
How we help
We act as the EU importer, put our details on the product as economic operator, produce multilingual labels, and deliver cartons ready for your channel. We also offer private label with your logo, packaging and EAN, with a minimum of 300 pieces per model. Read about our services or send us your product list and we will answer with an offer in 2 working days.
