GPSR · United States
GPSR for US sellers: what Shopify brands must do
GPSR, the EU's General Product Safety Regulation, applies to US brands that sell physical products to EU customers, including through their own Shopify store. It has been in force since 13 December 2024, and the headline requirement is appointing an EU Responsible Person.
Does GPSR apply to US sellers?
Yes. EU product law is destination-based: it attaches to placing goods on the EU market, not to where your company is. So a US Shopify brand shipping to EU consumers is fully in scope, and often has *more* to do than an EU seller because it has no EU entity to rely on.
What US Shopify sellers must do
- Appoint an EU Responsible Person and show their name, address, and contact on each product page. See our EU Responsible Person guide.
- Keep basic safety documentation, such as instructions, warnings, and identification for your products.
- Label correctly with manufacturer details and any required safety warnings, in the language of the country of sale.
- Check EPR, because packaging, electronics, and batteries trigger separate per-country registration.
What happens if you ignore it
The real-world consequences
Without an EU Responsible Person, marketplaces remove your EU listings and customs can hold shipments at the border. Even selling only through your own store, you risk authority notices and blocked deliveries.
The Responsible Person is the hard part
Most US sellers can handle labelling and documentation in-house. The blocker is the Responsible Person: it must be established in the EU, so you have to appoint a third-party service, an EU distributor, or a fulfilment partner. Our pillar guide walks through each option.
EPR: the second layer
If your products ship in packaging (almost all do), or contain electronics or batteries, you also owe EPR in each EU country you sell into, such as Germany's LUCID and France's Citeo. From 12 August 2026, non-EU sellers will also need a packaging authorised representative per member state.
A practical path for US sellers
- List the EU countries you actually ship to
- Appoint an EU Responsible Person and add their details to your product pages
- Register for EPR (start with packaging) in each of those countries
- Keep documentation and labels ready per market
- Use one tool to see which SKUs are still missing data, so nothing slips
Assuro does that last step: connect your Shopify store and it flags exactly which products are missing GPSR or EPR data, by country, and writes the GPSR fields back into Shopify for you. Free to scan your whole catalogue, no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is GPSR the same as a CE mark?
No. CE marking shows a product meets specific EU directives (like toy safety or electronics). GPSR is a broader product-safety regulation that applies on top, and it adds the EU Responsible Person requirement for non-EU sellers.
I only sell through my own Shopify store, not Amazon. Does GPSR still apply?
Yes. GPSR applies to distance sales to EU consumers, including your own website. You still need a Responsible Person and the required information shown on the product page.
What's the fastest way to become GPSR compliant as a US seller?
Appoint a third-party EU Responsible Person, add their details to your product pages, label correctly, and check EPR for each EU country you ship to. A catalogue scan helps you see which products still have gaps.
See where your store actually stands
Connect your Shopify store and Assuro flags which products are missing GPSR and EPR data, country by country, and tracks every deadline. Free to scan, no credit card.
Check your store for free