Health & Beauty Compliance on Amazon: The Most Common Prep and Labelling Failures (and How to Avoid Them)

Health & Beauty is one of the most tightly controlled categories on Amazon. Vendors know this. Yet compliance issues remain one of the biggest causes of chargebacks, delays, and refused shipments across the category.

The problem is rarely a lack of effort. More often, it is small process gaps that only show up once volume increases. Prep and labelling errors tend to compound quietly until Amazon flags them, by which point the cost has already been absorbed.

We’ve compiled the most common Health & Beauty compliance failures Amazon enforces, why they happen, and what strong operational teams do differently to avoid them.

1. Incorrect or Inconsistent Expiry Labelling

Expiry dates are one of the most scrutinised elements in Health & Beauty compliance. Errors here are rarely tolerated.

Common issues include:

• Bagging/Prep/Wrap requirements for glass, liquids
• Expiry dates missing from outer cartons
• Incorrect date formats
• Poor print quality or placement
• Mismatch between physical labels and ASN data

These problems usually stem from expiry handling being treated as a final step rather than a controlled process throughout picking and packing.

How to avoid it:
Expiry data should be validated at multiple points. At minimum, teams should confirm expiry dates during picking, packing, and ASN creation. Labels must be clear, scannable, and consistently positioned. If expiry validation only happens at dispatch, errors are already too late to fix.

2. Labelling That Meets the Rule but Fails in Practice

Amazon labelling requirements are clear on paper. In practice, many labels fail because they are unreadable in a warehouse environment.

Typical failures include:

• Low contrast labels that scanners struggle to read
• Labels placed over seams or folds
• Multiple labels competing for the same surface area
• Smudged or fading ink (don’t use inkjet, use thermal)

From Amazon’s perspective, a label that cannot be reliably scanned is the same as no label at all.

How to avoid it:
Test labels in real conditions. Print quality, placement, and durability matter. Teams should have clear standards for where labels go and what they must look like. If a new packaging format is introduced, labelling should be reviewed before volume shipments begin.

3. Lot Code Handling That Breaks Under Scale

Lot codes are essential for traceability, recalls, and compliance. They are also one of the easiest things to mismanage as SKU counts grow.

Common lot code issues include:

• Lot codes not captured digitally
• Manual entry errors
• Lot data missing from ASNs
• Inconsistent handling across warehouses or shifts

These issues tend to surface during audits or shortage investigations, when reconstructing shipment history becomes time-consuming and expensive.

How to avoid it:
Lot codes should be treated as structured data, not notes. Systems must capture a lot of information consistently and carry it through to ASN creation. If lot codes rely on manual intervention, risk increases with every additional SKU and shipment.

4. Prep Standards Applied Inconsistently

Health & Beauty prep requirements can vary by product type, packaging format, and fulfilment method. Problems arise when prep rules are understood but not applied consistently.

Examples include:

• Missing polybags or incorrect sealing
• Missing bubble wrap or protection on glass products
• Inadequate carton strength
• Mixed prep standards within the same shipment
• New products introduced without updated prep instructions
  
  

Inconsistent prep often leads to partial refusals, delays, or increased inspections.

How to avoid it:
Prep rules should be documented, current, and easy for warehouse teams to follow. Any new product introduction should trigger a prep review. Consistency matters more than speed when it comes to avoiding downstream issues.

5. Compliance Checks That Happen Too Late

Many vendors rely on final checks at dispatch to catch issues. By that point, fixing problems usually means delays, rework, or short shipping.

Late checks are often a sign that compliance is treated as a task rather than a process.

How to avoid it:
Strong Health & Beauty operations build compliance into the workflow. Validation happens earlier, when corrections are cheaper and easier. This includes checks at pick, pack, and ASN stages rather than relying on a single final gate.

Why These Errors Cost More Than You Expect

Individually, prep and labelling failures may seem minor. At scale, they drive:

• Repeated chargebacks
• Missed delivery windows
• Increased manual reconciliation
• Erosion of trust with Amazon

In a category where margins are already under pressure, these costs add up quickly.

Building Compliance Into Everyday Operations

Avoiding Health & Beauty compliance issues is not about perfection. It is about repeatable processes, clear visibility, and reducing reliance on last-minute fixes.

Vendors that perform well in this category focus on:

• Clear data flow between warehouse systems and ASNs
• Early validation of expiry and lot information
• Consistent labelling and prep standards
• Fewer manual touchpoints where errors can creep in

Compliance becomes predictable when it is operational, not reactive.