What does compliance or conformity of products on Amazon mean?

Each manufacturer and distributor is responsible for ensuring that its products comply with applicable laws so that they are directive-compliant or "compliant". This conformity is expressed by corresponding markings on products. Particularly well known here is the CE mark as a "European goods passport" with which products can be sold throughout the EU. The products subject to CE are clearly regulated.

These include, but are not limited to:
- electronic products
- toys
- medical devices

For these and for other products, in turn, further national regulations apply in each EU country, which must be complied with. For example:

- Food supplements
- Cosmetics
- Biocidal products

Each of the above-mentioned product areas has its own labeling requirements, by which the compliance of the products with the legal requirements can be seen.

The establishment of conformity is often accompanied by costs, e.g. for product tests and proof of conformity. Especially in highly competitive markets, there are often sellers who save the costs and offer non-conforming products at low prices - to the detriment of those who comply with all specifications. This often leads to unfair competition. However, these violations of compliance requirements lead to a ban on the sale of the products. In other words, they may not be offered at all if they do not meet all the specifications.