Blocked ASINs on Amazon: What the New GS1 Rules Mean for Sellers

Since 2023, Amazon has tightened controls on product codes (GTIN/EAN) used to create ASINs. The result? Thousands of sellers have seen their listings blocked due to non-compliance with GS1 standards. For e-commerce businesses, this is a wake-up call: without certified and reliable product data, you simply cannot sell.

Why is Amazon now blocking ASINs?

Amazon requires every product to be linked to a unique barcode (GTIN/EAN) issued by GS1, the official global standards body. Until recently, many sellers relied on approximate, recycled, or non-certified codes provided by unofficial suppliers.

For Amazon, this practice damages catalog integrity, creates duplicates, and fuels disputes over product traceability. That’s why the platform now systematically cross-checks submitted codes against GS1’s database. Any mismatch leads to an immediate ASIN block.

What are the consequences for third-party sellers?

For merchants, the impacts are very real:

• Blocked listings for certain products.
• Loss of visibility and sales revenue on key references.
• Risk of sanctions if attempting to bypass the rules.

In practice, sellers must now validate their catalog in advance: ensuring EAN/UPC codes match GS1, avoiding duplicates, and maintaining consistency between product pages and declared codes.

How does this connect to regulatory compliance (EPR)?

Beyond GS1 enforcement, this shift reflects a broader trend: marketplaces and regulators demand reliable, standardized product data.
In France, the AGEC law already requires sellers to declare their sales volumes and pay eco-fees to Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs). Amazon has integrated these rules step by step, notably with mandatory Unique Identification Numbers (UINs).

The GS1 checks on ASINs are part of the same logic: data integrity first. A wrong barcode or an incorrect EPR declaration can block your entire business.

How to avoid blocked listings?

The key is automation. Instead of manually verifying each SKU, sellers need tools that can:

• Validate product codes against GS1 databases.
• Instantly calculate eco-fees (EPR fees) for each item.
• Generate compliant reports across all EPR schemes.
• Sync automatically with Amazon Seller Central and other marketplaces.

AlgoREP: Get ASINs compliant in under 30 seconds

With AlgoREP, you secure your online sales through dual compliance:

• GS1 standards: automated barcode validation.
• EPR obligations: instant eco-fee calculation and official reporting.

In less than 30 seconds, you know whether your product can be listed on Amazon and if it complies with French and EU regulations. No more sudden blocks, no more lost revenue due to compliance issues.