Regulatory Trends in Online Retailers & Marketplaces: 12–18 Month Outlook
This guide was published on 1th August, 2026. Further regulatory developments may have occurred after publication. To keep up-to-date with the latest compliance news, sign up to our newsletter.
A practical 12–18 month roadmap for online retailers and marketplaces who need to move fast, without losing control of compliance.
Regulatory Trends in Online Retailers & Marketplaces: 12–18 Month Outlook
Online sellers and marketplaces face a complex, layered regulatory landscape built around product safety and supply chain accountability. Regulators are tightening rules on counterfeit and unsafe goods – requiring sellers and marketplaces to verify seller identities, act faster on recalls, and take on more liability for third-party defective products.
Sustainability requirements around eco-claims, sourcing disclosures, and forced-labor due diligence are adding new documentation burdens. Globally, e-commerce operators are under pressure to shift from reactive compliance to proactive risk management.
As liability shifts toward marketplaces, the compliance question is no longer if – but how fast.
(Source: C2P by Adherent)
This Guide Covers
- The regulatory topics affecting online retailers and marketplaces, banded by importance
- How rules on counterfeit and unsafe goods are shifting liability onto marketplaces, including seller verification and faster recalls
- The documentation burden created by eco-claims, sourcing disclosures and forced-labour due diligence
- A world map of regulatory density for online retailers and marketplaces
- 15 key regulations expected to affect your business over the next 12-18 months
