| 🇪🇺 This guide applies to merchants shipping B2C orders into the European Union. From 1 November 2026, EU distance-sales shipments must carry product identifier data under Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382.
From 1 November 2026, EU B2C distance sales need three product identifiers or they're at risk of being held at customs.
If you use Swap's shipping integration, we will pass this data through to your shipments, provided you supply accurate and complete product identifiers to us. You just need to prepare the data and upload it into Swap.
The three identifiers you'll need to provide
Identifier | What it is | Where it comes from |
Merchant Product ID | Your own SKU or internal product code. | You should already have these. Ensure all active products have SKUs. |
Manufacturer Product ID | The code your manufacturer assigned to the product, not your own SKU. | If you design and manufacture your own product, this may already be the same as your SKU, but check with your manufacturer to confirm rather than assume. If you sell third-party manufactured stock, this is a different code and needs to come from the manufacturer: check the product's swing tag or label, its packaging, or your supplier invoice or spec sheet. |
Standardised Product ID | Your product's barcode (GTIN, EAN or UPC), only where one exists. | If your product has a barcode on its packaging, that's the value. If it doesn't — for example handmade, made-to-order or very new products — leave it blank. |
What you need to do, and by when
Now: confirm your SKU coverage is complete across your product catalogue.
Before 1 November: identify any products where you don't already hold the manufacturer's code, and reach out to those manufacturers or suppliers to get it. This is the step most likely to take time — start now.
From 1 November 2026: mandatory. Manufacturer and merchant product IDs required on all EU B2C shipments, regardless of value. The standardised ID (barcode) is required wherever your product has one.
💡 Keep your paperwork. Keep the documentation you used to source each manufacturer product ID (e.g. supplier invoices, spec sheets, or packaging references) on file, in case a customs authority queries a declaration after the fact.
How this reaches the carrier
If you use Swap's shipping integration, we will pass this data through to your shipments, provided you supply accurate and complete product identifiers to us. You just need to prepare the data for us to use and upload it into Swap.
⚠️ If you do not use Swap's shipping integration, you need to confirm what support your WMS / label software will be rolling out in advance of the 1 November deadline. Get in touch with your account manager or [email protected].
If you don't provide this data
Enforcement from 1 November hasn't been confirmed yet — we don't know whether incomplete shipments will be held, rejected, or allowed through a grace period. Carriers expect strict enforcement from day one, based on their own planning. You should therefore treat missing or incomplete data as a real risk of delay, not a formality, and prioritise the steps above accordingly.
Swap will use the product identifier data you provide in your shipments, but we cannot guarantee customs clearance or shipment outcomes. Delays, holds, or rejections resulting from missing, incomplete, or inaccurate product identifier data are the responsibility of the merchant providing that data.
Any gaps in product data are are your responsibility to resolve, and Swap is not liable for customs delays or rejections resulting from missing or inaccurate identifier data.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes to help you prepare for the EU's new product identifier requirements under Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382. It does not constitute customs, tax, or legal advice. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the product data you provide, and we recommend confirming how these requirements apply to your specific products with your own customs broker, tax advisor, or legal counsel.