Category: Business | Reading time: 10 minutes
Introduction
You make candles, you have the scent, wax, beautiful jars – and you want to start selling. Natural first steps include Allegro, OLX, maybe Vinted, or your own Shopify store. And if you're targeting abroad – Etsy or Amazon. But before you post your first listing, you need to know: every platform has its own requirements for documentation, labeling, and product safety. And these requirements are growing.
This article is a concrete checklist – platform by platform. What you need to have, what you need to include in your offer, and what the platform might demand from you.
1. Common requirements – mandatory everywhere
Regardless of the platform, before you start selling scented candles, you need:
- CLP Classification – for each candle variant (scent × concentration)
- CLP Label – on the product (if the mixture is hazardous or requires EUH208)
- PN-EN 15494 Warning Label – yellow triangle + safety messages (EVERY candle)
- Manufacturer's data – name, address, phone, email on the product (GPSR requirement)
- Batch number – product traceability (GPSR requirement)
- Safety Data Sheet – ready on demand (B2B mandatory, B2C on demand)
- Technical documentation – risk analysis, composition, tests (GPSR requirement, kept by you)
If you have all this – you are ready for any platform. Below we describe what each platform additionally requires.
2. Allegro
Allegro is the largest marketplace in Poland and a platform where most candle makers sell. Since 2024, Allegro has actively started verifying product compliance with regulations.
What Allegro requires:
- Product card with correct data – manufacturer's name, address, catalog/batch number. Allegro has dedicated fields in the offer form.
- Photos of labels – Allegro may ask for a photo of the CLP label and the warning label on the product. Have them ready.
- SDS on demand – Allegro may request a Safety Data Sheet as part of product verification. You have 48 hours to provide it. Failure to do so = offer blockage.
- Data of the responsible person (GPSR) – from 13.12.2024, Allegro requires providing the data of the responsible person in the EU. If you produce in Poland – that's you.
What to watch out for:
- Automatic blockages – Allegro uses algorithms to flag offers without required information. Offers without manufacturer data or without labels may be automatically blocked.
- Product category – make sure you list in the correct category (Scented candles, not Decorations). Wrong category = different requirements = potential problem.
- Offer descriptions – if your candle is classified with CLP pictograms, consider including hazard information in the offer description. The CLP amendment (2024/2865) will require this from 2028 – but it's worth starting earlier.
TopWosk Tip: Have a "Allegro Compliance" folder ready with: candle SDS (PDF), label photos, manufacturer data. When Allegro asks – you respond in 5 minutes, not in a panic looking for documents.
3. OLX
For many candle makers, OLX is the first sales platform – quick, no commission, local. But "ease of listing" does not exempt you from legal obligations.
What you need to know:
- OLX does not actively verify documentation – you won't get an automatic block like on Allegro. But that doesn't mean the regulations don't apply to you. The Trade Inspection Authority can check any seller – regardless of the platform.
- Labels on the product – the buyer collects the candle in person or by courier. The product MUST have labels (CLP + PN-EN 15494), batch number, manufacturer data. Failure to do so = legal violation, regardless of whether you sell on OLX or in a boutique.
- Offer description – it's worth including information about the composition, warnings, and manufacturer data in the description. This builds trust and protects you legally.
What to watch out for:
- Local sales ≠ no obligations – even if the customer collects in person in a parking lot, you are selling a chemical mixture. CLP and GPSR regulations apply.
- Lack of SDS = risk – if a customer asks "what's inside?" or a child swallows a piece of the candle – you must have the documentation. OLX will not protect you.
- Transition to Allegro – many creators start on OLX and move to Allegro. If your documentation is in order from the beginning, the transition is smooth.
4. Vinted
Vinted is associated with clothes, but more and more creators sell handmade candles there. The platform is growing as a sales channel for handicrafts in Poland.
What you need to know:
- Vinted has no dedicated compliance fields – there is no form for manufacturer data or SDS like Allegro. But EU regulations (CLP, GPSR) apply regardless of whether the platform has appropriate forms.
- Labels on the product – just like everywhere else: CLP label (if required), PN-EN 15494, manufacturer data, batch number. They must be on the candle you send.
- Product description – include the composition (main ingredients), warnings, contact details. Vinted does not formally require this, but you must comply with the regulations.
What to watch out for:
- Vinted buyer protection – if a customer complains about a product (e.g., missing label, missing hazard information), Vinted may side with them and issue a refund. Better documentation = fewer problems.
- Lack of professional image – Vinted is a C2C platform. If you sell regularly, customers expect professionalism: nice labels, composition information, batch number. This sets you apart.
- Shipping via InPost – Vinted uses parcel lockers. Make sure the candle is properly packaged (protection against breakage + labels visible on the product inside the package).
5. Etsy (export / international sales)
Etsy is a global platform – a natural place if you want to sell candles abroad. In Poland, it's not the first choice, but for export, it's great.
What Etsy requires:
- Compliance with local regulations – Etsy requires you to comply with the regulations of the country where you sell. For the EU = CLP + GPSR.
- Manufacturer data in store profile – since the introduction of GPSR, Etsy requires completing the data of the responsible person in the EU.
- Safety warnings – Etsy recommends placing warnings in the product description.
What to watch out for:
- Multilingual labels – a customer from Germany buys your candle – the labels must be in German. Consider bilingual labels (PL + EN) or dedicated variants.
- PCN per country – if the candle requires UFI and you sell to customers from the Czech Republic, Germany, and France – you need PCN notification in three countries.
- No automatic verification – Etsy does not block offers like Allegro. But a customer complaint or a report from a supervisory authority = offer removal.
6. Own store (Shopify, WooCommerce, other)
Having your own store gives you full control – but also full responsibility. There's no platform that will "ask" you for documents. If you don't have something – you won't find out from an algorithm, but from the Trade Inspection Authority.
What you need to have:
- Everything from the common list (section 1) – CLP, labels, SDS, GPSR, batch
- Store regulations – information about the product, composition, hazards (if any)
- Labels in the shipment – the CLP label and PN-EN 15494 must be ON the product that reaches the customer. It's not enough to put a picture of the label on the website.
- SDS available on demand – customer, supervisory authority, payment platform – anyone can ask
What to watch out for:
- New CLP advertising requirements (2024/2865) – from January 1, 2028, you must include CLP pictograms in online product descriptions (applies to products classified as hazardous). It's worth starting earlier.
- Payment gateways – some payment processors (Stripe, PayPal) may require product documentation. Have your SDS ready.
- Courier shipping – if the candle is classified as hazardous (with pictograms), it theoretically falls under ADR transport regulations. For small quantities in consumer packaging, you usually fall within the exemptions – but check with the courier.
7. Amazon
Amazon has the strictest compliance requirements of all platforms. If you plan to sell on Amazon – be prepared for serious documentation.
What Amazon requires:
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Amazon may require an SDS in English format (SDS) when registering a product. Have an EN version.
- Compliance documentation – technical data sheet, test reports, safety certificates
- GPSR data – data of the responsible person, batch numbers, contact details
- CLP information – pictograms, H/P statements, classification – required in the product card
- Product listing requirements – photos of labels, warnings in the description
What to watch out for:
- Account suspension – Amazon blocks accounts aggressively. Lack of documentation = offer blockage → after three blockages → account blockage. Don't risk it.
- Language – selling on Amazon.de? Labels in German. Amazon.fr? In French. Amazon does not accept labels only in Polish in foreign markets.
- FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) – if you send products to an Amazon warehouse (FBA), you must provide documentation in advance. Amazon checks products before accepting them into the warehouse.
8. Platform comparison – table
| Allegro | OLX | Vinted | Etsy | Amazon | Own store | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDS on demand | Yes (48h) | Rarely | Rarely | Rarely | Yes (upon registration) | On demand |
| GPSR data | Required | On product | On product | Required | Required | On product |
| Automatic blockages | Yes | None | None | Rarely | Aggressive | None |
| Pictograms in description | Recommended | Optional | Optional | Optional | Required | Required from 2028 |
| Label language | Polish | Polish | Polish | Country of sale | Country of sale | Country of sale |
| Best for | Serious PL sales | Start / local sales | Handmade / start | Export / international | Scale / international | Full control |
| Difficulty level | Medium | Low | Low | Medium | High | Low (but you are solely responsible) |
9. Practical plan – how to prepare
Step 1: Compile documentation (1-2 days)
Candle SDS (from TopWosk – ready for download), CLP classification, CLP label design, PN-EN 15494 label design, manufacturer data, GPSR risk analysis. Save in a "Compliance" folder.
Step 2: Prepare labels (1 day)
Print CLP and warning labels. Attach to the product BEFORE you start selling. Take photos of the labels – they will be useful on platforms.
Step 3: Complete listings (1-2 hours per platform)
Go to each platform and check: manufacturer data, address, email, batch number, warnings. Fill in any missing information.
Step 4: Prepare a "compliance package" for quick sending
A folder with: SDS (PDF), label photos (JPG), manufacturer data (TXT). When the platform asks – you send it in 5 minutes.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
"I only sell at fairs – do these requirements apply to me?" – Yes. GPSR and CLP apply to every "making available on the market" – fairs, markets, direct sales. The only difference: no platform to verify you. But the Trade Inspection Authority can visit a fair.
"Allegro blocked my listing – what to do?" – Read the reason for the blockage carefully. Most often: missing manufacturer data or missing labels in photos. Fill in the data, submit documents through Allegro's appeal form. With complete documentation, unblocking takes 1-3 days.
"Do I need to have a business activity?" – Yes, if you sell regularly. A one-time sale at a fair is different, but systematic sales on platforms require business activity. Besides: as a manufacturer of a chemical mixture, you have obligations under REACH/CLP – it is difficult to fulfill them without formal business activity.
"I sell 10 candles a month – do I really need all this?" – Yes. Regulations do not have a "how many items" threshold. 10 candles a month are subject to the same regulations as 10,000. But good news: with TopWosk, documentation is free (included in the oil price), so the entry cost is minimal.
Summary
Every platform is heading in the same direction: more requirements, faster verification, stricter consequences for deficiencies. Those who prepare now – will sell calmly. Those who ignore – will lose listings and customers.
Three rules:
- Documentation first, sales later – do not post a listing without a ready SDS, labels, and manufacturer data
- Have a "compliance package" ready to send – the platform asks, and you respond in 5 minutes
- The platform will not replace your knowledge – even if Etsy does not actively check, you must know what is required
At TopWosk, you get ready documentation for every oil: Candle Safety Data Sheet in three concentrations, classification threshold, CLP Label Generator. Whether you sell on Allegro, Etsy, or your own store – the documentation is the same and taken care of. Check out our oils with the Safety Package →