The EU's General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) came into force in December 2024, changing compliance rules for sports equipment providers operating in the European market.
Whether you manufacture home exercise bikes, import resistance bands or distribute kettlebells, GPSR’s obligations run deeper than previous regulatory and safety standards.
Here’s an overview of what sports equipment manufacturers, distributors and importers need to know to meet GPSR guidelines.
How does GPSR impact sports equipment manufacturers?
As a sports equipment manufacturer, GPSR places primary responsibility on you for ensuring all your products meet comprehensive EU safety standards. Examples of products included within GPSR regulations include:
- Bicycles
- Dumbbells
- Exercise bikes
- Footballs
- Resistance bands
- Tennis rackets
- Treadmills
- Yoga mats
Systematic risk evaluation protocols
GPSR requires sports equipment manufacturers to conduct thorough risk assessments for each product, which consider every potential hazard throughout that product's lifecycle. These may include:
- Mechanical hazards (pinch points, moving parts, structural integrity)
- Material safety (non-toxic materials, surface treatments, coatings)
- Ergonomic considerations (user interface design, accessibility features)
- Environmental resilience (weather resistance for outdoor equipment)
- Electrical safety (for powered fitness equipment)
- Digital security (for connected fitness devices and smart equipment)
Risk evaluations must be formally documented and available for regulatory inspection. You must also implement or update risk assessment procedures to identify and mitigate risks according to GPSR regulation.
Comprehensive technical file requirements
Sports equipment manufacturers must compile and maintain detailed technical documentation for a minimum of 10 years following market placement. Required documentation includes:
- Complete product specifications and design drawings
- Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
- Material composition and sourcing information
- Quality control procedures
- Risk assessment records
- Safety evaluation reports
- Testing documentation (mechanical testing, durability assessments, safety certification)
- User manuals and safety instructions
- For connected equipment: cybersecurity assessments and data protection protocols
You must also adapt product testing and certification processes to comply with GPSR safety standards and implement robust testing procedures to verify product safety.
Product identification and tracking systems
GPSR requirements for sports equipment manufacturers include implementing systems for product traceability throughout your entire supply chain.
Manufacturers must ensure products bear identifying elements such as type, batch codes or serial numbers. If this isn't possible on the product itself, this information must be provided on the packaging or accompanying documents.
You'll need to maintain complete supply chain documentation for six years.
Manufacturer contact details
All sports equipment that falls under GPSR rules must clearly display manufacturer identification – including your company details and contact information – on the product itself, its packaging, or accompanying materials. This creates a clear accountability trail if safety issues emerge.
All sports equipment must display contact information including:
- Legal business name
- Registered trademark (where applicable)
- Physical postal address
- Digital contact methods (email/website)
Authorised Representative
Sports equipment manufacturers must appoint an Authorised Representative before selling products in Europe. This representative:
- Serves as a contact point for market surveillance authorities
- Maintains technical documentation
- Cooperates with authorities and communicates on behalf of the manufacturer
Safety incident management systems
GPSR rules require sports equipment manufacturers to establish comprehensive systems for managing safety concerns, such as:
- Mandatory reporting of any product safety issues
- Formal complaint tracking and documentation procedures
- Recall management protocols and corrective action records
- Incident analysis procedures for prevention improvement
Are there GPSR rules for sports equipment importers?
Importers serve as critical gatekeepers in the sports equipment supply chain. Your GPSR responsibilities include:
- Confirming manufacturer compliance before importing sports equipment
- Verifying that products meet general safety requirements
- Blocking importation of equipment deemed unsafe or non-compliant
When safety issues arise, you must act immediately, regardless of manufacturer cooperation. Actions may include maintaining direct communication with market surveillance authorities and providing product samples for testing when requested.
What are the GPSR requirements for sports equipment distributors?
Sports equipment distributors are the final compliance checkpoint before products reach consumers. Under GPSR, you have specific obligations that differ from manufacturers and importers.
Rather than conducting technical evaluations, you must verify visible compliance indicators – for example, checking that products carry appropriate labelling in the right languages for your market and spotting obvious non-compliance issues.
You also play a vital role in the feedback loop, channelling consumer safety concerns to manufacturers, managing customer communications during safety incidents, and implementing product recalls at retail level.
Hooley Brown's sports equipment compliance services
Hooley Brown provides regulatory compliance support for sports and recreational equipment companies navigating EU requirements including GPSR. Our services include:
EU economic operator representation
We can serve as your designated EU/UK authorised representative, managing all GPSR obligations and providing official contact services for European regulatory authorities.
Technical file development
Our compliance specialists can develop and maintain GPSR technical documentation, including detailed product specifications and comprehensive risk assessments.
Compliance marking assistance
Our team can ensure your sports equipment displays all mandatory traceability and safety information.
Product-specific compliance support
Alongside GPSR, we can also help to ensure your sports equipment is compliant with other industry standards, including CEN/TC 333 for bicycles.
Avoid compliance risks: contact Hooley Brown for your GPSR evaluation.
This guide offers general GPSR information for sports equipment manufacturers, importers and distributors. For company-specific guidance, contact hello@hooleybrown.com.
This article was published in June 2025. Regulations can change. Always verify current requirements and seek professional advice for specific situations.
