Get to know that the GPSR is about and how it relates to your business
What is the GPSR?
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a piece of European Union legislation that aims to ensure the safety of consumer products within the EU market. The main objective is to protect consumers from unsafe products and to guarantee that products placed on the market meet certain safety standards. Below is a summary of the key regulations under the GPSR:
General Safety Requirements:
- Products must be safe for consumers when used under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use.
- Manufacturers and distributors are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe and comply with the regulations.
Market Surveillance:
- National authorities are responsible for ensuring that unsafe products are removed from the market.
- Authorities can take actions such as product recalls, bans, or restrictions to prevent unsafe products from being available to consumers.
- Cooperation is required between EU member states to ensure effective enforcement.
Obligations for Economic Operators:
Manufacturers: Ensure products are safe, provide relevant documentation, and keep records of safety.
Importers: Ensure that imported products comply with the relevant safety regulations.
Distributors: Ensure that products they sell are safe and comply with GPSR.
Consumers: Must report unsafe products to relevant authorities.
Product Information: Products must be accompanied by clear, understandable safety information to inform consumers. Labeling should be clear, legible, and contain the necessary information, such as warnings and usage instructions.
Recall and Corrective Actions: If a product is found to be unsafe, the manufacturer or distributor must take corrective action, which may include recalls or withdrawals of the product from the market. The GPSR requires businesses to notify national authorities and inform consumers about the potential risks and the corrective actions taken.
Risk Assessment: Manufacturers and other economic operators must assess the risks associated with their products and take appropriate measures to minimize these risks.
Harmonized Standards: The GPSR supports the use of harmonized European standards to help demonstrate product safety. Products conforming to these standards are presumed to meet the safety requirements.
Notification and Cooperation: Authorities must notify the European Commission of any measures taken in relation to unsafe products.
There is a need for cooperation between the EU and member states to ensure effective market surveillance.
The GPSR applies to a wide range of products, including toys, electronics, and household items, and it ensures that consumers across the EU are protected from unsafe products. The regulation is part of the broader EU regulatory framework aimed at safeguarding public health and consumer safety.
How the GPSR relates to clothing and textile products.
Under the GPSR, the safety of clothing is primarily concerned with ensuring that it does not pose any physical, chemical, or environmental risks to consumers. This includes factors like chemical safety, flammability, choking hazards, and proper labeling. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors must ensure that clothing complies with these requirements, while authorities enforce these standards through market surveillance and recall processes. For children's clothing, additional precautions are mandated to prevent specific risks like strangulation or suffocation.
How does the GPSR relate to the products you sell from Art of Where.
Art of Where is compliant with the GPSR and we are fully able to continue shipping your custom printed products to all countries in the EU. As a manufacturer, we are responsible for
- Ensuring tracability across all product lines
- Flammability testing our fabrics
- Labeling all our products clearly and as is required by laws in Canada, the USA, and Europe
- Clear care instructions
- Ensuring no PFAS chemcials are added to any products during production
- Having a company to represent us in the EU
- Minimize any risks that can be associated with our products
We have put extensive systems in place to ensure our obligations are met.
If you are drop shipping with Art of Where for your art-based business, we encourage you to do the following:
- Take the time to understand the GPSR and how it relates to your business
- Update your product listings to include GPSR related information
Since we are manufacturing for you, the majority of the responsibility for the GPSR regulations are on us. However, we strongly advise you to update your product listings to include information relevant to the GPSR including with the address of our compliance representative in Europe, care information, safety information, and relevant testing information. You can refer to our resources in our other blogs on how to adjust your product listings.
