On 30 June 2021, the European Commission introduced the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). If adopted, the GPSR would establish a wide-ranging legal framework for ensuring the safety of non-food consumer products – items designed for consumer use or those reasonably expected to be used by consumers. Its specific focus is to address safety challenges stemming from novel technologies and the landscape of online selling. Included within the GPSR are stipulations for data protection. In particular, the GPSR stipulates that economic operators and online marketplace providers with product registration systems or loyalty schemes allowing identification of products purchased by customers would have to offer a distinct option for customers to provide contact details solely for safety-related communication. This personal data collection would have to be limited to the minimum necessary and solely used to contact consumers during recalls or safety alerts. Similarly, in the case of complaints, the register of complaints would have to only retain essential personal data for importers to investigate alleged hazardous product concerns. This data would be stored for the necessary investigation duration, up to a maximum of five years after entry.
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