Toys

We use CE & ECE markings to show that your items meet the safety, health, and environmental requirements. This marking is even required for most items sold in the European Union (EU). Read more about CE marking.

via bol, items are sold in all kinds of sizes, styles, and colours. The more specific the description of the item, the faster our shared customers can find what suits them. Instead of using the term 'skin colour', please use a more specific description for the colour of your item, such as beige, brown, or light pink.

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.

It is important that everyone feels welcome with us and not discriminated against by our product range. Our priority is to avoid unnecessarily offending people through stereotyping. Therefore, we ask you to take this into account in the way you promote your items.

• Use the term ‘Piet’ instead of the term ‘Zwarte Piet’.
• Do not use images of people with fully dark makeup; instead, use models with no makeup, partial makeup, or patterned makeup.
• Do not offer items that contain a stereotypical caricature emphasizing skin color or ethnicity, such as Zwarte Piet.

When you sell fake money or toy euros, please ensure these items comply with the applicable laws and regulations in the Netherlands and Belgium. Among other things, the item must comply with European Central Bank Decision/2013/10 on the copying of euro banknotes, to ensure it does not too closely resemble a counterfeit.

bol is the store for all of us. We therefore offer the widest possible product range of items to help all our customers. We also keep a close eye on societal discussions and take our customers' opinions seriously, so we can offer a well-functioning platform.

You can sell any item within the fancy dress product category if it falls within the product categories and you meet the quality requirements. However, please consider how you present your fancy dress items. It is important that we do not unnecessarily offend people through stereotyping in the content and images. Therefore, we ask you not to post images of people who are fully painted in dark makeup. These types of images will be removed. However, you can show images with models who are unpainted, partially painted, or painted with a pattern.

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.

On our platform, no fireworks or ignition mechanisms intended for them may be sold, because it cannot be guaranteed that these items are transported safely. The following items are not allowed to be sold: Fireworks for consumer or professional use based on the Regulation on the designation of consumer and theatrical fireworks. These include fire rockets, pop-pops, pull-string poppers, flares, (ice) fountains, sparklers, and theatrical fireworks.

• Smoke bombs
• Gunpowder and carbide
• Visco fuses

The following items are allowed:

• Ignition fuses
• Spring-loaded confetti cannons

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.

When necessary, bol anticipates legislation. We do this especially when it's clear that items in production or use are harmful to customer health and/or safety. Within the European Union, there is a ban on the sale of disposable plastic items, also known as single-use plastic. On the European Commission website, you can find an overview of the items that are prohibited from being placed on the market. This ban is gradually expanding, so the list below may not be complete. Therefore, consult the European Commission website or the Dutch/Belgian government for current regulations.

Mandatory SUP contribution

Since 2023, a waste contribution (SUP contribution) also applies to so-called point-of-sale packaging. This refers to the sale of empty food containers or cups. The party that places these items on the market is obliged to pay the SUP contribution for them. It is therefore possible that you also have to pay this SUP contribution. For rates and information in the Netherlands, see the Verpact website. For Belgium, more information is available on the Fost Plus website.

Illegal items

The following disposable plastic items are not legally permitted and therefore may not be sold via bol:

• Plates, cutlery, stirrers
• Straws
• Cotton buds
• Balloon sticks
• Drink and food packaging made of so-called expanded and extruded polystyrene (EPS and XPS)
• Items made of oxo-degradable plastic (e.g., bags and bottles)

Disposable items containing plastic

Disposable items made of plastic or containing plastic have the logo below. This includes items such as: wet wipes, tampons, sanitary pads, tobacco items, and drinking cups (for example, a paper cup/plate with a plastic layer).

Spatplastic

Additionally, as a platform, we want to take our responsibility and help combat plastic litter. That's why, on October 9, 2021, we signed the Spatplastic Covenant. Spatplastic refers to single-use plastic that spreads quickly. For example, when it's thrown or literally 'splashes' apart. This means that disposable water balloons and plastic confetti are prohibited on the platform. This policy also includes:

• Gift packages containing water balloons, plastic confetti, or balloon straws
• (Table) confetti, streamers
• Balloons with plastic confetti inside

Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. These particles end up in the environment and accumulate there. They are not biodegradable but break down into increasingly smaller pieces. Microplastics are therefore very polluting to the environment and harmful to the health of humans and animals. Microplastics are present in various items, from cosmetics to synthetic clothing and from plastic bags to bottles. Many of these items end up as waste.

Glitter

In line with European legislation, the sale of microplastics in the form of loose glitter is prohibited as of May 1, 2024.

• Loose glitter, for example, where glue is supplied separately to attach it, is not permitted;
• Plastic granules such as plastic granulate or plastic pellets are a type of microplastic often used as a filler for items like plush toys or pillows.

Glitter that is already glued on or is part of an item – such as a glitter hat or glitter gel – may still be sold via the bol platform. Therefore, clearly state the following for your product range:

1. what materials the glitter is made from;
2. the size of the glitter

For biodegradable glitter, you must be able to provide proof through a product specification from the supplier and/or a declaration from the manufacturer that it is biodegradable.

Second-hand items or margin items can only be offered in the categories books, music, games, and movies. For other categories, you cannot request selling rights. Therefore, it is not possible to offer second-hand items other than books, music, games, and movies via bol.

Toy items without proper BOIP registration

From March 1, 2025, it will no longer be allowed to upload new unbranded toys that require CE marking to the platform. We are blocking these items because we see a higher safety risk for these types of items.

BOIP registration required for CE-marked toys

For CE-marked toy items, they may only be sold with proper BOIP registration. This means that the brand of the item must be registered within class 28. For more information on registering your brand, please visit the official website of the BOIP.

Existing product range phased offline from May 12, 2025

For existing CE-marked toy items without proper BOIP registration, these will be phased offline from May 12, 2025. After this date, brands without registration may be set to unbranded. You will then no longer be able to sell the items under that brand name.

Are you currently selling items under a brand name that is not registered with the BOIP? Then make sure you register the brand name and create a new EAN for these items. This will prevent your item from being blocked for sale in the future.

Adhere to brand guidelines

To prevent your items from being taken offline, you can find all information regarding brand guidelines on this page.