Prohibited Product
Google has identified one or more products in your feed that fall under its prohibited content policies. Google maintains a strict list of items that cannot be advertised on Shopping, including: dangerous products (weapons, certain explosives, tobacco, most drugs), counterfeit goods, animals (live or recently deceased), sexually explicit content, adult gambling, and products that enable dishonest behavior. Prohibited product listings don't just get disapproved — they put your entire merchant account at risk of suspension.
Prohibited product / Policy violation: Prohibited contentImpact: Prohibited product violations are the most severe category of GMC violation. A single prohibited product can result in immediate account-level suspension with all products disapproved simultaneously. Unlike most feed errors which affect only the offending product, prohibited product flags trigger manual policy review and can permanently terminate your account if repeated.
Root Causes
- 1Your product is genuinely in a prohibited category — weapons, drugs, live animals, or counterfeit goods. These cannot be advertised on Google Shopping and must be removed from the feed.
- 2Your product is in a gray area that Google classifies as prohibited in some markets — CBD products, certain supplements, e-cigarettes, or knives. Different countries have different rules.
- 3Misclassification: your product isn't actually prohibited but language in the title or description triggers Google's policy classifier (e.g., 'replica' in a legitimate replica car model, 'gun' in a glue gun).
- 4Imagery or product name associates your product with prohibited use — like a water pipe that Google's classifier reads as drug paraphernalia even when it's sold for legal tobacco use.
- 5Your product is fine but shipped from a country where it's restricted (e.g., knives with automatic opening mechanisms shipped from regions where switchblades are prohibited).
Fix by Platform
- 1First: confirm whether your product is genuinely prohibited. Review Google's policies at support.google.com/merchants/answer/6149970. If the product is prohibited, remove it from your feed immediately.
- 2If prohibited: in your feed app (Simprosys, AdNabu, Shopify native Google channel), exclude the product. Simplest method: in Shopify Admin → Products → [Product] → Google channel → set status to 'Not published' or 'Hidden from Google'.
- 3If the product is legitimate but misclassified: rewrite the product title and description to remove any words that trigger false positives. Replace 'replica' with 'scale model', 'gun' with 'tool' (for hardware), 'weapon' with 'cosplay accessory'.
- 4For edge-case categories (CBD, vitamins, knives): check if Google allows your category in specific target countries. You may need to limit your feed to countries where the product is allowed. In Shopify Google channel → target markets → deselect countries where your product type is restricted.
- 5After removing prohibited items or editing titles: submit a reconsideration request via GMC (Products → Diagnostics → Contact support). Explain the situation clearly if it's a misclassification. For deliberate prohibited content, don't request review — just remove and avoid resubmission.
When This Doesn't Apply
Check your store now
Free compliance scan — 47 rules checked in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What products are prohibited on Google Shopping?+
Major prohibited categories include: firearms and components, ammunition, explosives (fireworks restrictions vary by country), illegal drugs and paraphernalia, tobacco products (in most countries), most sex toys and adult content, counterfeit goods, animals (live or recently deceased), replicas of authentic branded goods, products claiming to bypass Google's ad systems, and products that enable dishonest behavior (fake IDs, hacking tools). The full list is at support.google.com/merchants/answer/6149970.
My product was misclassified. How do I appeal?+
Go to GMC → Products → Diagnostics → click the affected product → 'Request review' or 'Contact support'. Provide: (1) the exact product URL, (2) a clear explanation of what the product actually is, (3) why you believe the flag is incorrect. Google's policy team reviews manually within 3–7 business days. If upheld, you can escalate once; repeated unsuccessful appeals count against your account.
What happens if I keep prohibited products in my feed?+
First violation: individual products disapproved, warning on your account. Second violation or ignoring the warning: account-level suspension — all products disapproved until the feed is cleaned and reviewed. Third violation or serious violations (weapons, drugs, counterfeit): permanent account termination with no possibility of reinstatement. Google associates prohibited-product violations with your business entity, so creating a new merchant account under the same business is usually detected and terminated.
Can CBD products be listed on Google Shopping?+
As of 2026, Google allows topical CBD products (lotions, balms) in the US if they contain no more than 0.3% THC and are certified. Ingestible CBD (oils, gummies, edibles) remains prohibited in the US. Rules vary by country — most EU countries permit topical CBD, some allow ingestibles. Always check Google's latest policy for your target country before submitting CBD products, and be prepared to provide lab certificates during review.