42% of products checked in online stores lacked required consumer information, European Commission finds

Online retailers are following European product-safety rules more closely than they did in 2025, but 42% of the products checked still failed to provide consumers with all the required information before purchase.

The missing details can make it difficult to identify the manufacturer, check where a product comes from, or find warnings and safety instructions. The findings come as online commerce continues to grow and European authorities face an expanding number of products sold directly to consumers through platforms and online stores.

EU rules require sellers to display specific information clearly and visibly before a customer buys a product. The European Commission and national market-surveillance authorities regularly check products sold in the European market, including online. Their inspections seek to identify both products that may pose risks and cases in which sellers fail to meet their information obligations.

For online offers covered by the EU’s general product-safety rules, the listing should include the manufacturer’s name, trade name or registered trademark, and contact details. If the manufacturer is outside the European Union, the listing must also identify the person responsible for the product in the EU.

The offer must also allow consumers to identify the product, including through a photograph, the product type, and another identifying element where applicable. Required warnings and safety information must appear as well. A simple photograph and commercial description are therefore not enough when a product falls under the European rules. Consumers must be able to see who is responsible for the product and what information accompanies it before they buy.