Safety

In addition to our guidelines for selling toys, there are specific conditions for toy weapons and water pistols. These are designed to reduce risks for the user and their environment and are in line with Dutch and Belgian legislation. You may only offer items that can be used as toy weapons if they meet the following requirements:

• Age limit The toy weapon must be intended for use by children under 14 years of age

• Brightly colored The toy weapon or water pistol must be brightly colored or have a brightly colored barrel. A toy weapon that is completely grey, white, or black is not allowed on the platform
• Own brand name/modification If you sell toys under your own name or brand name, or if you modify a toy in such a way that it no longer complies with the applicable requirements, you will be considered the manufacturer and must assume the manufacturer's obligations.
• CE marking Toy weapons must have a CE marking that is visible, legible, and indelible on the toy, on a label attached to it, or on its packaging.
• Material The toy weapon must not be made of metal.

Selling gel blasters and other weapons that use water beads as ammunition is not allowed on the platform. It is only permitted to sell water beads if the content does not indicate that they can be used as ammunition.

Magnetic construction toys refers to toys where magnetic force is central to connecting the individual elements, including:

• Magnetic balls
• Magnetic cubes
• Neocubes
• Buckyballs
• Nanodots

It is likely that these items will be used by children, even if you do not sell them as 'toys'. The health risk of swallowing and choking is very high in this target group. To protect the health and safety of the user and their environment, you are therefore not permitted to offer magnetic construction toys via bol with a magnet smaller than 4 centimeters in diameter. Please note that magnets with a diameter greater than 4 centimeters must still comply with the applicable laws and regulations in the Netherlands and Belgium and with our general toy guidelines.

For safety reasons, bol only allows you to offer foldable knives, such as utility knives and pocket knives. Axes are also permitted. By foldable knives, we mean knives that can be made smaller using hinges or sliding mechanisms, where the blade folds into the handle to safely store it in your pocket. Non-foldable knives include machetes (even those intended for gardening), daggers, and hunting knives.

If you want to offer a knife, we expect you to specify in the attributes whether it is foldable. This must also be clearly visible in the first image.

Because these items fall under legislation concerning the safety of people and nature, we strictly enforce this policy.

*The information above applies to the Sport, camping & outdoor product range. This means that kitchen and table knives are permitted for selling via bol under the correct product range.

It is your responsibility as a partner to be familiar with the Weapons and Ammunition Act if you sell a product range that must comply with it. To best enforce the Weapons and Ammunition Act, we have chosen to provide additional clarification and/or create extra guidelines within several categories: The following items are not permitted for selling via bol:

• Butterfly knives / Balisong
  It is also not permitted to sell so-called training knives / trainers of this type via bol.
• Stiletto knives, also known as gravity knives and switchblade knives
  It is also not permitted to sell so-called training knives / trainers of this type via bol.
• Knives that are ‘hidden’ by resembling an innocent item such as a pen, comb, bank card, etc.
  Also described as disguised weapons that outwardly resemble an object other than a weapon.
• Throwing knives and throwing stars (also known as shuriken, ninja stars)
  Including trainers. With the exception of costume accessories that fall under the toy directive and are therefore intended for children under 14 years of age.

We do not want to offer items that could negatively affect users or their environment. Therefore, we do not sell items that are almost exclusively used for criminal purposes. So, you may not offer items that are strongly associated with burglary or fraud, such as:

• Key duplicators
• Odometer rollback devices
• Cylinder pullers
• Lockpick guns*
• Seatbelt clips to stop the alarm

*In contrast to lockpick guns, lockpick sets are allowed due to their hobbyist nature and the minimal force used.

Fire Extinguishers

All fire extinguishers you sell via bol must comply with the applicable laws and regulations in the Netherlands and Belgium. For selling items on our Dutch platform, the Portable Fire Extinguishers Decree applies. This concerns all items intended to fight fires through simple actions and with a filling in the device that does not exceed 20 kg in total. This rule applies to all fire extinguishers up to 20 kg intended for easily extinguishing fires.

No matter how small the fire extinguisher is, it must comply with this decree. Things you need to consider when selling a fire extinguisher:

• CE Mark

Ensure that the fire extinguisher has a valid CE mark. A valid CE mark demonstrates that the fire extinguisher complies with European regulations.

• Colour

The colour of the fire extinguisher must be red (RAL 3000).

• Certification valid for 5 years

All fire extinguishers must be certified before they can be sold on the Dutch and Belgian market. This certification is valid for 5 years. After this period, the certification of the fire extinguisher and the number on the device expire. No more devices may then be imported or sold under this number.

Safety Detectors (smoke, carbon monoxide, heat, gas, and combination detectors)

To protect the quality and safety of our product range, it is important that all safety detectors (smoke, carbon monoxide, heat, gas, and combination detectors) comply with European laws and regulations.

Therefore, via bol, you can only sell safety detectors that:

• comply with the relevant European safety standards. It is important that this is also entered under ‘Type standard’ in the content;
• have a Dutch manual that complies with European safety standards, both physically and digitally; and
• have been tested by a Notified Body (NB) in Europe.

Specific requirements that a CO detector (carbon monoxide detector) must always meet are:

• The name of the manufacturer, supplier, or brand
• The name of the CO detector and model number
• Type of gas to be detected
• The lifespan of the detector
• The text: ‘Read the instructions’ in Dutch

In addition, the included Dutch manual must contain explanations about, among other things:

• Placement and installation
• The expected lifespan
• The test procedure

Every year, sky lanterns are popular during the holiday season. Unfortunately, there's a high risk of fire with some sky lanterns and when they're used incorrectly. To ensure everyone has a happy new year, we ask you to upload a photo of the item packaging for each sky lantern. The photo must clearly show that the sky lantern complies with the fire safety guidelines below:

• The horizontal diameter of the sky lantern is max. 75 cm.
• The sky lantern contains no metal (wire).
• The item includes instructions for use.
• The packaging states the warning: “Caution, fire hazard! 18+. This item can cause fire if used incorrectly, so please read the instructions for use first.”

To ensure our customers have a high-quality and safe product range, it is important that the following swimming aids comply with European standards and recognized quality marks: armbands, swim wings, swim seats, swim rings, swim trainers, swim belts, and swimming vests. Customers purchase swimming aids to protect their safety in the water. Therefore, you can only offer swimming aids via bol when:

• You possess a test report.
• For each item, a certification body verifies whether it is safe for swimming. If your swimming aids are approved, this is documented in test reports. It is important that you possess these test reports yourself. We expect you to be able to provide them within 5 working days if requested.
• The 'Type of certification mark' field in the content is filled in. Valid certification marks can be found in the list of accredited bodies.On the product page, a photo of the item or product packaging has been added. The photo clearly shows that:

1. A CE mark is printed on the swimming aid.
2. A certification mark is printed on the swimming aid.
3. A photo of the instructions. The swimming aid must have Dutch or English instructions.

Life jackets

Life jackets differ from buoyancy aids. Life jackets are designed to turn a person into a safe position, even if they are unconscious, for example, and therefore offer higher buoyancy for better support in emergencies. The buoyancy of life jackets is expressed in Newton (N). The higher the N number, the better the buoyancy. For life jackets, buoyancy starts at 100N and goes up to 150N and 275N.

If you offer a life jacket, it must meet the following (additional) conditions:

• The life jacket has a minimum buoyancy of 100N;
• Each life jacket must comply with the EN ISO 12402 standard, with the specific standard varying per buoyancy:
  • EN ISO 12402-4:2020 for 100N;
  • EN ISO 12402-3:2020 for 150N;
  • EN ISO 12402-2:2020 for 275N.
  • The life jacket is CE approved.

Life jacket or swimming aidIs the buoyancy less than 100N? Then we are talking about a swimming aid and not a life jacket.

There's a new safety standard for car seats: R129 (i-Size). As of September 1, 2023, R44 car seats may no longer be sold via bol in the EU. The use of R44 car seats is not prohibited. Only remaining stock may be sold via bol until September 2024.

Items that claim in their content and/or on their packaging to destroy, repel, render harmless or prevent something, only enter the market after extensive testing. Independent organizations, associations with a neutral position, check whether the item is safe enough for humans, animals, and the environment. All approved items receive an authorisation number. We ask you to include this authorisation number in your content. Without an authorisation number, you cannot offer items in the ‘Pesticides & Biocides’ category. You can find the authorisation number in one of the following 3 databases:

• To sell in the Netherlands: Ctgb
• To sell in Belgium: Fyto
• To sell in all European member states: ECHA

It is not permitted to make virus claims in the content of biocides. Some examples of claims that are not permitted:

• “Kills and/or combats bacteria and viruses”
• “Eliminates viruses”
• “Offers protection against the coronavirus and/or viruses”

A playpen (also known as a play box) consists of several panels, for example, made of metal, wood, or plastic. By connecting the panels, you enclose an area on the floor where young children can play safely. As a partner, you are responsible for the safety of this item and must comply with the European General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC (you can find more information on the NVWA website).

This directive protects consumers from unsafe or dangerous items by sharing general safety requirements and principles. There are no legal requirements specifically for playpens, but we recommend that you adhere to the guidelines. To demonstrate that you follow the guidelines, you can, for example, comply with the following legislation (depending on the design of the playpen):

• Playpens for domestic use (NEN-EN 12227)
• Items for infants and toddlers - safety barriers (NEN-EN 1930)
• Safety of toys (NEN-EN 71 parts 1, 2 and 3)

Please note: if toys are attached to the playpen, then the playpen must comply with the legal requirements for toys.