Before listing food and healthcare items, be sure to familiarize yourself with federal and state laws and regulations. These items must:
Have a clearly marked expiration date
Be delivered to the buyer before they expire
Not be altered or changed in any way
Be stored safely before you ship them
When you list these types of items, you’re certifying that all safety conditions have been met.
FDA alert: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a consumer alert about counterfeit versions of the over-the-counter weight-loss drug Alli. We strongly recommend that you review this information before buying or selling Alli on the Internet.
Make sure your listing follows these guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.
What are the guidelines
Allowed
Wild morel and shitake mushrooms
Caviar from non-sturgeon species can be shipped internationally, but the species must be clearly stated in the listing
Restricted
Sturgeon caviar is restricted to domestic shipping only
Cheese made with raw (unpasteurized) milk, provided that it complies with the FDA guidelines
Perishable items are allowed, but you have to clearly identify the following details in your item description:
how you'll safely deliver the items to the buyer (for example, offer overnight shipping)
make sure the items are properly sealed
All food and related products should be packaged or sealed to ensure that the buyer can tell if they have been tampered with
All food items must have been stored safely prior to shipment and follow all storage directions on the item's packaging
Baby formula can be listed only if all of the following conditions are met:
Your listing specifies the expiration date of the formula and includes the following text:
This baby formula is not expired – the expiration date is <mm/dd/yyyy>. It's against eBay policy to sell expired baby formula.
We recommend copying and pasting the text into your item description, and then replacing "mm/dd/yyyy" with the formula's expiration date. Be sure to use the same font size as the rest of your description.
You deliver it to the buyer before the expiration date.
The item's packaging is intact
The container and its contents haven't been tampered with in any way
All items must be delivered to buyers before the clearly marked expiration or "use by" date. All listings for food items are required to show the expiration date in the listing.
Not allowed
Listings containing drug claims
Listings that claim the item is intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans and/or animals
Non-pasteurized dairy products
Fruit or vegetable juice that hasn't been heat pasteurized
Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) that have been expired for more than 3 years
Government assistance benefits including, but not limited to:
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Supplemental foods such as infant formula and baby food
Cash-value vouchers
Food instruments such as vouchers, checks, electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, and coupons
Before selling healthcare or hygiene-related products, be sure to review the relevant information on the FDA's website.
Allowed
Unexpired personal hygiene products
New/unopened personal hygiene and cosmetic applicators
Restricted
Over–the-counter (OTC) medications and vitamins can be listed as long as:
The packaging is intact and the item hasn't been tampered with
The item can be delivered to the buyer before the expiration date
The item has been stored safely according to storage directions on the item's packaging
All healthcare and personal hygiene items must be delivered to buyers before the clearly marked expiration or "use by" date. All listings for these items are required to show the expiration date in the listing.
Prescription medical devices such as: eye glasses, contact lenses, CPAP machines, oxygen delivery components, etc. (see the medical drugs and devices policy for additional information)
Over–the-counter medications that contain pseudoephedrine or ephedrine
Expired over-the-counter medications, supplements, health and beauty items
Additional information
Be sure to follow federal and state laws when listing food items. Here are a few examples:
Ingredients: Federal and state laws require labels to state, among other things, the food's ingredients, nutrition information, and place of manufacture.
Food licenses: Almost all states require food manufacturers and sellers to register with or obtain a license from the state.
Import/export: Laws restrict the import and export of many food products.
To learn more about laws relating to food sales, visit these websites:
The sale of food and healthcare items is highly regulated so please make sure you follow all the federal and state laws and regulations before buying or selling these items on eBay.
Contact Customer Support
You can contact Customer Support to report a listing you think violates this policy. Go to that listing, and then click the Report item link on the right side of the page.
We'll review your report and take appropriate action.
Contact us
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