In 2025, adult content and CBD companies across Europe are adapting to new waves of rules. Whether you run a CBD shop in Berlin or manage a Spanish online adult preview site, staying within the law is now more critical than ever. In this article, you’ll find clear steps to keep your business safe, along with examples of European businesses that have embraced compliance and thrived.
1. Age verification for adult sites
The Digital Services Act and national laws now require that adult websites verify the age of their visitors. Gone are the days when a simple warning was enough.
For instance, in France, a centralized ID-check tool is being trialled to ensure only adults view adult content. Germany’s RedTube.de went a step further, integrating third-party services, credit card verification, and ID scanning by 2024. In the UK, Ofcom plans to enforce age controls in 2025 that can include options like facial age-estimation or ID scans, with penalties as high as 10% of annual revenue.
As a result, your business must incorporate a reliable age-verification method at the first user interaction. Whether it’s a scan, a payment-card check, or a trusted third-party service, make sure access is blocked for those under 18. Once it’s in place, keep user data secure and meet GDPR rules.
For example, LustHaus.de, another German retailer of adult toys and workshops, updated its checkout to include ID checks, which reinforced customer trust.
After making sure your content is restricted to adults, your next concern should be the way you promote your products.
2. Clear, honest advertising
Following recent updates to European consumer protection and advertising laws, claims in CBD and adult content advertising must be straightforward. This means avoiding any medical or health promises.
For CBD, phrases like “cures anxiety” or “heals pain” are off-limits. Instead, businesses like HempyLife in the Netherlands reworded their marketing, from “relieves anxiety” to “supports general well-being”, to stay compliant.
At the same time, ads must not be placed where minors might see them. Platforms directed at youth or designs that appeal to children are now off-limits. If your promotional strategy crosses these lines, it’s time to rethink your approach.
3. CBD and novel food regulations
In recent years, the European Novel Food Regulation has been clarified. CBD remains a “novel food” unless it was widely consumed before 1997. This change directly affects stores in Belgium, France, Italy, and indeed, across the EU.
In Belgium, authorities now require THC oil levels under 0.3% and clear labelling. The UK’s Food Standards Agency enforces the same rules. And by the end of 2025, the EU plans to allow novel-approved CBD edibles.
To comply, businesses must source low-THC oil, file a novel food application, and keep lab certificates on hand. One retailer, GreenHope in the Czech Republic, even added a QR code on packaging that links to third-party test results to prove full compliance.
4. Respecting privacy: GDPR and more
Handling health or age data means falling under strict GDPR scrutiny. In 2025, businesses must stop collecting unnecessary data, clearly explain how it’s used, and obtain explicit consent, especially for anything medical or age-related.
And it’s not just about policy text. You need easy ways for customers to view, download, or delete their data, and to opt out of cookies. Recently, EroticWave.es in Spain simplified their policy, kept cookies for essential services like age checking, and cut all tracking scripts to stay GDPR-compliant.
5. Accessibility: making sites inclusive
Another rule coming into effect in 2025 under the European Accessibility Act is that your website or app must serve all users, including those with disabilities. That means not just adding alt text to images or captions to videos, but also ensuring good contrast, clear fonts, easy navigation, and keyboard-friendly forms.
It may sound technical, but it simply boils down to treating all users with respect. UK Bliss CBD did just that; they passed a compliance review by updating product videos with captions and marking images with descriptions, winning praise for being considerate and accessible.
6. Customs, VAT, and Novel Food Imports
Alongside internal regulations, import and VAT laws have become more stringent. Since April 2025, the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package requires accurate invoicing for cross-border sales and, eventually, a single VAT system across the EU. Meanwhile, CBD products under “novel food” status must be flagged at customs.
Retailers like CBDitalia in Italy prepared early, working with brokers to document lab tests and novel food paperwork ahead of shipments. Having everything ready means smoother customs checks and less risk of delays or penalties.
7. Adult toy safety rules
Although the EU hasn’t created a unified code yet, several member states are now applying toy-safety rules to adult products. That means using body-safe materials, getting proper lab certifications, and making sure age checks are in place online.
In Paris, PleasureParis.fr was proactive in late 2024. They now offer only CE-certified silicone toys and require ID age verification at checkout. That not only avoids legal risks but has earned customer trust too.
8. Keeping THC under control
The legal difference between CBD and THC remains vital in 2025. Across Europe, products must keep THC under 0.3%, although a few countries are now experimenting with low-dose medical cannabis.
If your business has thoughts of expanding into medical cannabis, be aware that this remains highly regulated. Unless you hold a proper pharmaceutical license, selling anything with more THC than allowed would put you on the wrong side of the law. Meanwhile, the rules are changing fast in Germany, Czechia, and the Netherlands, so keep an eye on them even if you stay with hemp-derived products for now.
9. Keeping minors out of CBD
Much like adult content, CBD products must not be marketed to children. That means adding an age check to the checkout process, or at least requiring buyers to confirm they are over 18.
Prioritizing adult-only audiences may limit quick sales, but it removes legal risk. Better to grow slowly than to break rules by selling to someone who shouldn’t have access.
10. Staying ahead of the curve
Finally, none of this is static. Between new CBD rulings, rising age-verification standards, and evolving VAT laws, next year’s rules could be even stricter. So it pays to stay informed.
That means subscribing to updates from your national health authority or data protection office, joining groups like the European Industrial Hemp Association, or working with legal consultants who watch these regulations closely.
No one wants to be blind sided by a new ban or a surprise tax. Being informed is the safest way to keep growing and maintaining trust with your customers.
Putting it all into practice
Let’s look at how businesses across Europe are adapting:
- HempyLife (NL) removed language suggesting health benefits, sticking only to wellness support.
- GreenHope (CZ) began selling “novel food ready” CBD oil with QR-coded lab results.
- PleasureParis.fr (FR) implemented ID checks and safe CE-labelled products.
- EroticWave.es (ES) cleaned its cookies and privacy policy to protect customer data under GDPR.
- UK Bliss CBD (UK) overhauled its online store to meet accessibility rules.
Each of them found that compliance not only avoided risk, it improved customer confidence and set the stage for longer-term success.
Bottom Line
Running an adult or CBD business in 2025 means much more than selling a product. It’s about building trust, protecting your customers, and growing in a tough legal landscape. By following these ten pillars – age checks, honest ads, proper sourcing, GDPR care, accessibility, customs rules, product safety, THC limits, minor protection, and staying updated- you’re setting a foundation for long-term growth.
And remember, every step you take toward compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines. It’s about showing your customers that you respect them and their lives. That respect is a brand’s strongest asset.
Not sure if your current setup is compliant? Our experts can review your age-verification process, your product labelling, and your privacy policy. Book a free compliance check today.
For more industry insights, check out our article “The Rise of NBFIs: A New Route for High-Risk Merchants?“
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