Selling in Italy under GPSR: Italian information, packaging labels and CONAI

Updated 29 October 2026

Italy applies the GPSR directly. For a seller shipping from abroad, what Italy adds is mostly about language and packaging: an Italian labelling rule that has applied since 2023, and a consortium with a specific route for foreign e-commerce sellers.

Consumer information at least in Italian

Article 9 of the Consumer Code (Legislative Decree 206/2005) requires all information intended for consumers to be given at least in Italian. Foreign expressions that have entered common use are allowed. With GPSR Article 9(7), which leaves the language of safety information to each member state, plan for Italian warnings, instructions and product information.

Environmental labelling of packaging since 1 January 2023

Article 219(5) of Legislative Decree 152/2006, as amended by Legislative Decree 116/2020, makes environmental labelling of packaging mandatory. It has applied since 1 January 2023, with technical guidelines adopted by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) in Decree No 360 of 28 September 2022:

All packaging carries the material identification code of Decision 97/129/EC.
Packaging for household consumers also carries instructions for separate collection.
The information may be provided through digital channels such as an app, a QR code or a website.

This is an Italian rule that applies now. The EU-wide harmonised sorting label under the PPWR comes later, from 12 August 2028 at the earliest.

CONAI: who joins, and the route for foreign sellers

Producers and users of packaging take part in the national packaging consortium CONAI (Article 221 of Legislative Decree 152/2006). Users include importers of packaged goods. According to CONAI:

Foreign companies are not obliged to join CONAI, but may join voluntarily.
A foreign company selling in Italy through e-commerce platforms can meet its extended producer responsibility through simplified procedures agreed between the platform and the EPR systems (Article 178-quater of Legislative Decree 152/2006). If it does not use the platform’s service, it must join CONAI and meet the related obligations.

Ask each platform you sell on whether it offers this service for Italy. Separately, the PPWR requires sellers based outside a country who ship packaged goods directly to consumers there to appoint an EPR authorised representative in that country; check with CONAI or your platform how this is handled for Italy.

Who supervises

The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) is responsible for general product safety. It explains that since 13 December 2024 the market surveillance authorities can take restrictive measures against products that do not meet the GPSR, and that a technical coordination table convened by MIMIT sets the criteria for checks.

Checklist for Italy

An EU responsible person named on the product and in the listing — compare published provider prices.
Italian consumer information, warnings and instructions.
Environmental labelling on all packaging (or a QR code or app that gives the information).
Packaging EPR through your platform’s procedure, or CONAI membership.
Italian warnings on the label: use the GPSR label generator.

Run the compliance checker for the full list. Background: packaging EPR.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Italian environmental label be a QR code?

The ministry’s guidelines allow digital channels such as apps, QR codes or websites to provide the labelling information.

I am a foreign seller on an Italian marketplace. Do I have to join CONAI?

Not necessarily. CONAI says foreign companies are not obliged to join. Those selling through e-commerce platforms can meet their packaging obligations through the procedure agreed between the platform and the EPR systems; if they do not use it, they must join CONAI.

Sources

ohdock provides software tools and general information, not legal advice. Check the official texts, or ask a qualified adviser, for your situation.