Prohibited or dangerous products

What this error means

Unlike restricted products, prohibited and dangerous products are never allowed on Shopping ads or free listings. The item is disapproved, and because Google treats this as a serious policy issue, repeated or egregious cases can move to an account suspension.

Why it happens

Google bans products that can cause damage, harm, or injury, and other content it does not permit. Common examples include recreational drugs and related equipment, weapons, ammunition, explosives and fireworks, instructions for making harmful items, tobacco products, and counterfeit goods, but this is not a complete list. The exact categories depend on Google's specific policy pages and on local law, so the same product can be treated differently by country. A product ends up here either because it genuinely belongs to a banned category, or because its data makes Google classify it that way.

How to fix it

1. Read the exact policy named in Merchant Center so you know which banned category was matched.
2. If the product genuinely belongs to a prohibited category, it cannot run on Shopping. Remove it from the feed rather than repeatedly resubmitting it.
3. If it was misclassified, correct the title, description, and images that triggered the match, then request a review.
4. Take repeated warnings seriously, since ignoring them risks the whole account.

Fixing it in your store

Misclassification usually comes from wording or images that resemble a banned category, for example knife or tool listings that read as weapons, or wellness products described with drug-like claims. Review how these products are titled and described, and make the data clearly reflect a compliant product. For products that are genuinely prohibited, the only safe action is to stop submitting them.

How long until it clears

Removing a genuinely prohibited product resolves the item issue immediately. If the account was suspended, expect a reinstatement review that takes from a few days to a few weeks.