# Suffocation warning labels for poly bags

> The 5 inch threshold, the standard wording, where the warning has to sit, and why a bag bought ready-made often fails inspection without one.

Pillar: marketplace-labels · Updated: 2026-11

**Our view.** The warning is cheap and the failure is expensive, which is why we recommend a printed label rather than trusting a bag supplier. Stock poly bags arrive without the wording more often than buyers expect, and nobody discovers it until the shipment is opened at the fulfilment centre.

A poly bag protects a product and creates a hazard: a large, thin film that a small child can pull over their head. That is why marketplaces require a warning on any bag above a threshold size, and why a shipment without one is stopped at receiving.

Part of the [marketplace label requirements guide](/knowledge/marketplace-label-requirements/).

## The threshold

The commonly applied rule: **a poly bag with an opening of 5 inches (12.7 cm) or more requires a suffocation warning.**

| Bag | Opening | Warning needed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 in | ~4 in | Generally no |
| 6 × 9 in | ~5 in | Yes — at the threshold |
| 8 × 10 in | ~6.5 in | Yes |
| 10 × 13 in | ~8 in | Yes |
| 12 × 15 in | ~10 in | Yes |

The measurement that matters is the **opening**, not the flat width. A bag sold as "6 × 9" opens to roughly 5 inches across the mouth, which puts it right at the line. When a bag is near the threshold, add the warning — the cost is a few cents and the alternative is a refused shipment.

## The wording

The standard US wording used across the packaging industry:

> WARNING: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic bag away from babies and children. Do not use in cribs, beds, carriages, or playpens. This bag is not a toy.

Marketplaces publish their own version of this requirement, and the exact phrasing can change. Check the current text in the marketplace's help pages before a large print run rather than copying an old label.

## Placement and legibility

| Requirement | Practice |
|---|---|
| Visible on the outside | Not inside the bag, not under another label |
| Legible without effort | If a buyer has to squint, assume it fails |
| On the bag or on a label | Either, if the label is secure |
| Not covered by the product label | The bag label goes on the opposite face |
| Present on every bag | Not just the outer one in a multi-pack |

Two placement mistakes cause most rejections:

1. **The warning is printed on the bag's bottom fold**, where it is hidden once the product is inserted.
2. **The product label is applied over it**, usually because the label was sized for the bag without accounting for the warning block.

## When a bag needs more than a warning

Some products have extra bagging rules beyond the warning:

- **Liquids** — bagged with absorbent material, and the bag sealed.
- **Loose items** — bagged so nothing escapes in transit.
- **Sets** — bagged together and labelled as a set, not separated.
- **Baby and toddler products** — often required to be in a sealed bag with the warning, and some categories require the bag to be heat-sealed rather than taped.

The pattern: the warning is the minimum, and the product category decides whether there is more.

## Printed bag or label?

| Approach | Cost | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-printed bags | Higher per bag, lower per unit at volume | Repeat shipments, stable bag size |
| Warning labels on stock bags | Low setup, higher per unit | Existing stock, short runs, mixed bag sizes |
| Printed on the product label | No extra part | When the label and bag are designed together |

For a first shipment, warning labels are the pragmatic choice: they work on whatever bags you already have and they can be applied in the same pass as the product label.

## What this means for buyers

**Measure the opening, not the flat width.** A nominal 6 inch bag is right at the 5 inch threshold.

**Do not assume a purchased bag has the warning.** Check a physical bag before the shipment, not the product photo.

**Keep the warning clear of the product label.** Size the two together, or apply them on opposite faces.

**Use the current wording.** Marketplace requirements change; a label printed from a 2019 template may not match.

**Order warning labels with the unit labels.** One print run, one shipment, one application step.

## Quick answers

**Which poly bags need a suffocation warning?**

Bags with an opening of 5 inches (12.7 cm) or more. Smaller bags are generally exempt. The measurement is the opening, not the bag's flat width, so a 6 inch bag measures about 5 inches across the mouth when opened.

**Can the warning be a sticker instead of printed on the bag?**

In most marketplace programmes, yes, as long as it is affixed securely, legible and not covered by another label. A sticker is the practical route for bags already in stock; a pre-printed bag is better for volume.

## Sources

- Amazon Seller Central — Bagging requirements (seller login required) — https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/G201685210
- Amazon Seller Central — FBA product packaging requirements (seller login required) — https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/200141500