Purpose: Learn when product identifiers are required for shipments entering the EU, how to add them in Sendcloud, and what to check before shipping.
What are product identifiers for EU shipments?
Since 1 November 2026, EU customs requires manufacturer product identifiers for certain shipments entering the EU from outside the EU, such as shipments from the UK. These requirements apply to goods valued at €150 or less.
Product identifiers help customs identify the goods being imported. Missing or incorrect information may lead to issues with carriers or customs, including shipment delays.
You can add and manage product identifiers using the Products feature in Sendcloud or provide them through the Sendcloud API.
Who does this requirement apply to?
Product identifiers are required when all the following conditions apply:
- Origin and destination: The parcel is shipped from outside the EU to a destination within the EU, for example, from the UK to France.
- Shipment value: The goods are valued at €150 or less.
- Shipment type: The shipment is sent to a consumer (B2C) or to a business that is not VAT-registered (B2B). B2B shipments to VAT-registered businesses are excluded from this requirement.
Important: Manufacturer product identifiers must be provided for each item in an applicable shipment, not just once per parcel. Sendcloud does not automatically reject shipments with missing identifiers, but carriers or customs may encounter issues if the required information is missing or incorrect.
How to add product identifiers in Sendcloud
Follow the steps below to add your product information and prepare your shipping labels.
Step 1: Add your products in Sendcloud
Go to Settings > Products and add the products you ship to the EU. You only need to add each product once, and Sendcloud can reuse the saved information when processing your orders.
💡 Tip: If you have a large product catalogue, start with the products you ship most frequently to the EU.
For more information, see our Products feature article.
Step 2: Add the identifiers for each product
In Settings > Products, make sure each relevant product has the following information:
| Field | What to enter | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| SKU | Your own product code, used to identify the product in your catalogue. This is separate from the manufacturer identifiers. | Required for adding a product to Sendcloud. |
| Manufacturer product identifier (non-standardised / NS-PID) | The code assigned by the manufacturer or supplier, such as a model number, part number, or manufacturer's SKU. | Required. |
| Manufacturer product identifier (standardised / S-PID) | A standardised product code, such as a GTIN or EAN. | Required if one exists. |
💡 Good to know: If you manufacture your own products, you can use your own product code as the non-standardised manufacturer identifier. Make sure to enter it in the corresponding field, even if you've already added it as the SKU.
When is an EAN used automatically?
If your webshop sends an EAN (barcode) to Sendcloud, or you've added one in Settings > Products, Sendcloud automatically uses it as the standardised manufacturer product identifier (S-PID), unless you've already saved an S-PID in Products.
This applies to shipping labels created through Incoming orders, Pack & Go, and the Ship an Order API (v3), for supported integrations.
💡 Shopify: If you've saved a manufacturer identifier as an NS_PID barcode in Shopify, Sendcloud imports it automatically.
You still need to make sure that the non-standardised manufacturer identifier is provided for each product. If your webshop doesn't send an EAN, add a standardised identifier manually in Settings > Products, if one exists.
Step 3: Create your shipping labels
Once you've added your product information, create your shipping labels as usual. Before shipping, check that the required identifiers appear for each item on your order. You can edit them if needed.
💡 Good to know: Manufacturer product identifier fields are shown in the shipment workflow for shipments entering the EU from outside the EU.
For more information, see How to create an international shipment in Sendcloud .
Using a WMS or the Sendcloud API
If you use a warehouse management system (WMS), contact your WMS provider for guidance on managing and sending product identifiers.
If you create shipments through the Shipments API or a WMS, you must provide the identifiers yourself. Automatic EAN handling does not apply to these workflows.
For API users, the relevant fields are manufacturer_product_id (required) and manufacturer_product_id_std (if one exists). See our API documentation for implementation details.
Your responsibility for product information
Sendcloud passes on the manufacturer product identifiers you provide, but you are responsible for ensuring your product information is complete, accurate, and up to date.
Before shipping parcels into the EU, check that every applicable item has the required identifiers to help prevent shipping label errors and customs delays.