How regulators classify products: food, cosmetic, supplement, medical device, electronic equipment, pesticide, toy, vehicle, chemical mixture, textile.
⚙AI-assisted, human-edited — this page is drafted with AI from public-source data, then reviewed before publication. How we use AI →
Regulators classify products by the rules that govern them, not by the aisle they sit on in a store. The same coffee maker can be a consumer product under CPSC, an electrical equipment under CE Low Voltage Directive, and a radio device under FCC if it has Wi-Fi. This page lists the regulatory categories the wiki tracks.
Food (and food-contact materials)
Covered by EU Regulation (EC) 178/2002 (general food law) and U.S. FDCA 21 USC Chapter 9 in the United States. Subcategories include packaged food, dietary supplements, infant formula, novel foods, additives (E-numbers) and food contact materials (FCMs). Recalls flow through FSAI/IE, EFSA/EU RASFF, FSANZ/AU, FDA + USDA FSIS / US.
Cosmetics
Covered by EU Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 and U.S. FD&C Act §§601–603 + MoCRA 2022. Subcategories: leave-on / rinse-off / oral hygiene / nail / hair. The EU CosIng database lists every cosmetic ingredient with its function and any restrictions; Annex II is the banned list. Cross-referenced from substance wiki pages.
Pharmaceuticals — NOT covered
We deliberately do not publish wiki entries for prescription drugs, OTC medicines or vaccines. The regulatory regime (FDA NDC, EMA MA, Health Canada DPD) is well-served by official agency databases, and consumer pharmaceutical guidance is a regulated profession we do not occupy. We do surface drug-recall events when they appear in safety-gate feeds (FDA enforcement, RAPEX) for cross-product context.
Natural health products and supplements
Different jurisdictions draw the line differently. In Canada, natural health products are licensed under the Natural Health Products Regulations (NPN identifier). In the United States, dietary supplements fall under DSHEA (NIH ODS DSLD database). In the EU, food supplements are regulated by Directive 2002/46/EC.
Medical devices
Covered by FDA 21 CFR 800-1299 (US, UDI/GUDID) and EU Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR, UDI/EUDAMED). Risk-tiered: Class I (low risk, e.g. tongue depressor), Class IIa/IIb (moderate risk, e.g. infusion pump), Class III (high risk, e.g. heart valve). Each tier has its own conformity-assessment route.
Electrical and electronic equipment
EU: Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, RED 2014/53/EU for radio. RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU restricts hazardous substances (lead, mercury, etc). WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU governs end-of-life. US: FCC Part 15 for EMI, NRTL safety listing (UL etc.) for safety.
Toys and children's products
EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (revised in 2024). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), enforced by CPSC. State-level rules add Washington CSPA, Vermont Act 188, Maine PFAS, California Prop 65.
Pesticides and biocides
EU Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 (plant protection) + 528/2012 (biocides), with ECHA + EFSA as the technical authorities. U.S. FIFRA, administered by EPA — produces the EPA Registration Number we surface. Canada PMRA produces the PCP number.
Chemical mixtures
EU REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 governs registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction. CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 governs hazard classification, labelling and packaging — defines the GHS pictograms. US TSCA 15 USC §2601 et seq., administered by EPA.
Textiles and apparel
EU Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 mandates fibre composition labelling and standardised fibre names. US FTC Textile Products Identification Act — assigns RN (Registered Number) and WPL (Wool Products Label) numbers. Substance restrictions: OEKO-TEX (private), bluesign (private), AAFA RSL — these are referenced but not redistributable.
Vehicles
Subject to type-approval registries (EU WVTA, US NHTSA, Canada Transport Canada). Recalls flow through NHTSA + Transport Canada VRDB + DVSA UK. Vehicle product wiki entries are keyed by VIN where available; otherwise by make + model + year.
ProductGuru summarises public regulatory information. We are not lawyers, regulators or product-safety consultants. Citations on this page link to the underlying official source; consult those sources, or qualified counsel in your jurisdiction, before relying on any claim for a commercial decision.