Product safety in the sale of goods and services
The goods and services you sell must be safe. In the Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and the Product Safety Act, you will find the rules that apply to products and services sold to consumers. Many products must be CE marked to be sold. The CE marking is the manufacturer's guarantee that the product meets the specific EU product safety requirements for that product.
Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
The General Product Safety Regulation applies to products sold to consumers. The regulation also covers products sold online and products that are used, repaired or refurbished.
The regulation at the European Commission
Information about companies' obligations on the Safety Gate portal
Questions and answers about GPSR at the Swedish Consumer Agency (in Swedish)
Product Safety Act
The rules in the Product Safety Act continue to apply to services in Sweden.
Product Safety Act at the Swedish Government (in Swedish)
Markings
CE marking is an example of a mandatory labelling requirement. There are also voluntary labels to certify goods and services.
In addition to safety and labelling requirements, your product or service may also need to meet other requirements, such as being able to work with other products.
Standards help you to meet various requirements set by laws and regulations or by customers. Standards help you to avoid pitfalls, create order and set requirement levels for goods and services.
When you need to prove that the requirements of a standard or technical regulation are met, you can have an independent organisation certify, test or verify your product, service or process.
Standards, certification and marking of products and services
You also need to make sure that your products do not contain banned chemicals. You may need to inform your customers if your products contain certain substances.
Product responsibility for chemicals
Producer responsibility
There is a legal producer responsibility for electrical and electronic equipment, batteries, packaging, tyres and cars. This means that producers, as well as importers, must take responsibility for products put on the market and ensure that these are collected and recycled.
Producer responsibility applies to both producers and importers in Sweden, and in several other EU countries it applies to exporters and producers. Many companies meet their responsibilities by joining a producer responsibility organisation in the country in which they are responsible for the products.
Producer responsibility for electrical equipment and batteries