Dangerous products

This policy applies to free listings. Learn more about Shopping ads policies.

Our policy

Google wants to help keep people safe both online and offline, so we don’t allow the listing of some products that cause damage, harm, or injury.

Examples of what's allowed in some circumstances

Guns, gun parts, & related products

  Google allows the listing of gun parts and associated items that increase the safety of a gun

• Examples: Gun locks, trigger locks, safety pins, chamber block

Examples of what's not allowed

Guns, gun parts, & related products

Functional devices that appear to discharge a projectile at high velocity, whether for sport, self-defense, or combat. Note that we err on the side of caution and apply this policy to sporting or recreational guns that can cause serious harm if misused, or that appear to be real guns

• Examples: Handguns, rifles, shotguns, hunting guns, functioning antique guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns, bb guns, 3D printed guns

Any part or component, whether finished or unfinished, that is essential to, or enhances the functionality of a gun

• Examples: Ammunition, ammunition clips, silencers, ammunition belts, stocks, conversion kits, gun-grips, scopes and sights, tripods and bipods 

 Instructional content about the assembly, enhancement or acquisition of any of functional devices that appear to discharge a projectile at high velocity, including parts or components thereof

• Examples: Gun-making instructions, guides, software or equipment for 3D printing of guns or gun parts

Explosives

Products that are designed to explode and could cause damage to nearby people or property

• Examples: Nail bomb, chemical bomb, any fireworks that explode, firecrackers, grenades

 Listing of instructional content about the assembly, enhancement or acquisition of explosive items

• Examples: Bomb-making instructions, guides, software or equipment for 3D printing of parts of grenades 

Dangerous knives

Knives that are designed or promoted as products that can be used to injure an opponent in sport, self-defense, or combat. Any knife design that provides a confrontational advantage (including disguised appearance or assisted-opening mechanism)

• Examples: Switchblades, fighting knives, sword-canes, balisongs, military knives, push daggers, throwing axes

Other weapons

Any other product designed to injure an opponent in sport, self-defense or combat

• Examples: Throwing stars, brass knuckles, tasers, pepper spray

 Listing of instructional content about the assembly, enhancement or acquisition of any of these products:

• Examples: Guides, software or equipment for 3D printing of push daggers, brass knuckles, throwing stars

Recreational drugs & drug-related equipment

 Listing of illegal or recreational drugs, or substances that otherwise induce "highs"

• Examples: Cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, marijuana, cocaine substitutes, mephedrone, "legal highs"

Products marketed as facilitating recreational drug use

• Examples: Pipes, bongs, cannabis coffee shops

 Listing of instructional content about producing, purchasing, or using recreational drugs

• Examples: Instructional resources on drug use

Tobacco products & related equipment

Tobacco or any products containing tobacco

• Examples: Cigarettes, cigars, snus, chewing tobacco, rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco

Products that form a component part of a tobacco product, and products that directly facilitate or promote tobacco consumption

• Examples: Rolling papers, pipes, tobacco filters, hookahs

Products designed to simulate tobacco smoking

• Examples: Herbal cigarettes, electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes

What you can do

Here's what you can do if your product is disapproved or if your Merchant Center account is impacted:

Product disapproval

Products that don't comply with our policies may be disapproved. When a product is disapproved, it won't be eligible to serve. 

1. Read our policies to learn what we don't allow.
2. Update your website. If your ad or listing leads to content that violates a policy, update your website to meet the requirements and be in compliance with our policies.
3. Remove the violating products from your product data. You’ll receive an email with details about the violation. 
   • If you have products in your product data that violate the policy (or policies), you'll need to remove the offers from your feed.
   • You can also fix product-level issues by editing your product data via your chosen upload method (such as a file) or directly in Merchant Center.
4. Update your product data in Merchant Center. If you created a schedule for automatic uploads, update your product data manually or wait for your product data to be automatically updated before requesting any reviews.

Account disapproval

For most violations, we'll send you a warning email detailing the policy violation and give you 7 or 28 calendar days to fix your issue.

1. Read our policies to learn what we don't allow.
2. Update your website. If your ad or listing leads to content that violates a policy, update your website to meet the requirements and be in compliance with our policies.
3. Remove any violating products from your product data. You’ll receive an email with details about the violation. If you have products in your product data that violate the policy (or policies) you'll need to remove the offers from your feed.
4. Update your data in Merchant Center. 
   • Review your account and submit any missing information or complete any unfinished steps. 
   • If you created a schedule for automatic uploads, update your product data manually or wait for your product data to be automatically updated before requesting any reviews.
5. Request a review of your account.
   • If your account is still within the warning period, it will automatically be reviewed again at the end of the warning period. If the violating products are removed, you won't need to request an account review or take any additional action.
   • If your account is suspended and you've taken actions to resolve the issue, request an account review.

Most accounts are reviewed within 3 business days, but it can take longer if a more complex review is needed. If we find that you've removed the violating products from your product data, we’ll remove the warning. In the case of account suspension, we'll approve your account so your products can start displaying again.

Account issue that limits product visibility

Your account has an issue and is operating with reserved functionality, therefore your products have limited visibility. An email was sent with a notice on what to do and the steps needed to resolve your account issue.

1. Read our policies to learn more about our requirements.
2. Update your website. If your ad or listing leads to content that violates a policy, update your website to meet the requirements and be in compliance with our policies.
3. Fix any other open policy violation in your account. Review your products and your account details. 
   • If products aren’t supported, remove them from your feed.
   • If account details are missing, complete them in Merchant Center. 
4. Request a review of your account.
   • If your Merchant Center account is still within the warning period for certain policies, it will automatically be reviewed again at the end of the warning period. 
   • If your account is affected and you've resolved the issue, request a Merchant Center account review.

Most accounts are reviewed within 3 business days, but it can take longer if a more complex review is needed. If we find that you've removed the violating products from your product data, we’ll remove the warning. In the case of accounts with limited visibility, we'll approve your account so your products can start displaying again without any restrictions.

 

To ensure a safe and positive experience for customers, Google requires that retailers comply with all applicable laws and regulations in addition to our policies. It's important that you familiarize yourself with and keep up to date on these requirements for the place where your business operates, as well as for any other places your listings are shown. When we find content that violates these requirements, we may block it from appearing. In cases of repeated or egregious violations, we may ban you from listing content with us.