Stroller accessories, footmuffs and rain covers

• Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR
• Directive 2009/48/EC where the accessory is a toy
• Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — REACH

Who has to appoint one

Sellers outside the Union placing stroller accessories on the EU market. Accessories are separate products from the stroller and need their own documentation, which sellers frequently assume is covered by the pushchair's certification.

Thresholds and exemptions

None. Small soft goods are in scope in the same way as the pushchair itself.

What must appear on the label

Manufacturer and responsible person details, batch identification, compatibility information, and warnings on suffocation, overheating and never leaving a child unattended with a cover fitted.

Marketplace fields

Marketplaces check the responsible person, and rain covers and shades have been recalled for suffocation and overheating risks in hot weather.

Documentation you must hold

Technical documentation, risk analysis covering suffocation, overheating, entrapment and interference with the stroller's brakes or harness, and REACH evidence for coated fabrics.

Standards and testing

Flammability and mechanical testing appropriate to the article, air permeability for covers, temperature build-up assessment for shades, and small parts testing for attached elements.

Language requirements

Warnings and fitting instructions in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Before the product is made available.

How long records are kept

Ten years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal and Safety Gate alerts. Covers that trap heat or restrict airflow are treated as a serious risk.

Who enforces it

National market surveillance authorities and customs.

Where the boundary lies

An accessory that attaches to a pushchair can change the tested configuration: a buggy board alters stability, and a bulky liner can compromise harness fit. Toy elements clipped to the frame are toys with CE marking and EN 71.

Questions we are asked

Is an accessory covered by the pushchair's certificate?

No. It is a separate product placed on the market, with its own responsible person and documentation.

Do rain covers really need testing?

Yes. Air permeability and heat build-up are the hazards that have caused incidents, and the risk analysis must address them.