"I ordered a batch of health supplements to sell on Takealot, but they were taken down as soon as I listed them—why didn't anyone tell me beforehand that I wasn't allowed to sell them?"

Takealot imposes listing restrictions on certain product categories, requiring sellers to provide specific certification documents before they can list items for sale. If restricted categories are listed without prior approval, the items will be automatically removed by the system, and repeated violations may result in account suspension.

This article outlines Takealot’s listing requirements and application process by product category to help you avoid pitfalls related to category restrictions.

💡 Not sure if your product requires a special license? Add us on WeChat at jxhcyb or call 18148556832 and send “Product Category Approval” to get a free assessment.

I. Takealot Category Restriction Classification

Takealot categorizes its product categories into three tiers:

II. Entry Requirements for Adult Content Categories

Adult-oriented products are the category where it’s easiest to run into problems—they aren’t completely prohibited, but you must provide specific certification documents.

Category 1: Electronics (chargers, data cables, lighting fixtures, etc.)

– SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) certification or equivalent international certification (CE, FCC, RoHS) is required.

– For chargers, an electrical safety test report must be provided.

– LED lighting fixtures must be accompanied by energy efficiency test reports

Category 2: Children's Toys

– SABS certification or EN 71 certification (EU Toy Safety Standard) is required

– Toys intended for children under 3 years of age must be accompanied by a choking hazard test report.

– Electric toys must be certified for electrical safety

Category 3: Food Contact Materials (tableware, drinking cups, kitchenware)

– A food safety migration test report must be provided

– Plastic products must be accompanied by a test report certifying they are BPA-free

Category 4: Cosmetics and Personal Care

– A list of ingredients and a product safety assessment report must be provided

– Products containing sunscreen ingredients must provide an SPF test report

– Must be registered with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)

Category 5: Health Products and Nutritional Supplements

– A list of ingredients and a report verifying efficacy must be provided

– Must be registered with SAHPRA (registration process takes 6–12 months)

– Must not contain ingredients prohibited in South Africa (such as certain herbal extracts)

III. SABS Certification Application Process

SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) is South Africa’s standards certification body. Many products in the “yellow category” require SABS certification.

SABS Certification Fees: Application fee of approximately 5,000 rand + testing fees of approximately 10,000–30,000 rand (depending on product complexity) + factory audit fee of approximately 15,000 rand. Total: approximately 30,000–50,000 rand.

Alternative: If the cost of SABS certification is too high, you can try using international certifications as an alternative. Takealot accepts CE (EU), FCC (U.S.), and RoHS certifications as equivalents to SABS certification. However, please note that international certifications are not accepted as alternatives for all product categories.

IV. Red Categories (Prohibited for Sale)

The following product categories are strictly prohibited from being sold on Takealot, regardless of any certifications provided:

– Prescription and over-the-counter medications

– Tobacco Products and E-cigarettes

– Alcoholic beverages (require a special license)

– Weapons and Ammunition

– Live animals

– Wildlife Products

– Pirated and Counterfeit Goods

– Species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in South Africa

Please note: E-cigarettes fall into a legal gray area in South Africa, but Takealot explicitly prohibits their listing. Products containing CBD (cannabidiol) are also prohibited from being listed.

V. Practical Recommendations for Category Admission

Tip 1: Check category restrictions before listing. Go to the Category Management page in the Seller Portal to see if your target category requires certification. Don’t wait until your listing is rejected to find out that certification is required.

Suggestion 2: Start with green-tier categories. New sellers are advised to begin with green-tier categories such as apparel, home goods, and sportswear, and then expand into yellow-tier categories once they have gained operational experience.

Recommendation 3: Share Certification Costs. If SABS certification costs are too high, multiple SKUs can share a single certification (products made of the same material and using the same manufacturing process can be tested together).

Recommendation 4: Stay up to date on category policy changes. Takealot updates its category restriction policies from time to time, so we recommend checking the announcements in the Seller Portal every month.

Tip 5: Plan your timeline for preparing certification documents. It typically takes 2–4 months from the decision to sell products in the “yellow category” to receiving the certification documents. You should begin the certification application process during the product selection phase; don’t wait until the goods arrive in South Africa to discover that you can’t sell them.