RATCH PROHIBITED ITEMS POLICY

Last updated: 20 May 2026 This Prohibited Items Policy (“Policy”) sets out the types of products, content, and activities that are prohibited on the Ratch marketplace platform (“Ratch”, “Platform”, “we”, “us”, “our”). All sellers and users must comply with this Policy, our Terms of Use, Seller Agreement, and all applicable laws and regulations. Ratch reserves the right to remove listings, suspend accounts, restrict access, or report unlawful activity where this Policy is breached.

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1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Sellers may only list products that:

• are lawful to sell;
• are safe for consumers;
• accurately match their descriptions;
• comply with all applicable laws and regulations;
• do not infringe third-party rights.

Sellers are solely responsible for ensuring their products and listings comply with applicable law. Ratch may remove any listing at its discretion where we believe:

• legal risks exist;
• consumer harm may occur;
• intellectual property rights may be infringed;
• the Platform’s reputation or safety may be affected.

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2. ILLEGAL PRODUCTS

The following items are strictly prohibited:

• stolen goods;
• counterfeit products;
• illegally imported goods;
• unlawful drugs or narcotics;
• drug paraphernalia prohibited by law;
• forged documents;
• fake identification;
• software or tools intended for unlawful activity;
• products prohibited under UK law.

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3. COUNTERFEIT AND INFRINGING GOODS

Sellers must not list items that:

• infringe copyrights;
• infringe trade marks;
• infringe patents;
• infringe design rights;
• misuse brand names or logos;
• imitate branded goods deceptively.

Examples include:

• replica designer items;
• unauthorised branded merchandise;
• pirated media;
• copied artwork;
• unauthorised digital assets.

Ratch may remove listings immediately upon receiving intellectual property complaints. Repeat infringers may have accounts permanently terminated.

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4. UNSAFE OR HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS

Prohibited items include:

• recalled products;
• unsafe consumer goods;
• hazardous chemicals;
• toxic substances;
• explosives;
• dangerous materials;
• defective electronics;
• products lacking legally required safety information.

Products sold on Ratch must comply with all applicable product safety laws.

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5. WEAPONS

The following are prohibited unless expressly permitted by applicable law and approved by Ratch in writing:

• firearms;
• ammunition;
• explosive devices;
• realistic imitation firearms;
• prohibited knives;
• tasers;
• stun devices;
• offensive weapons;
• weapon accessories primarily intended for unlawful use.

Ratch may remove weapon-related listings at its discretion.

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6. ADULT AND SEXUAL CONTENT

The following are prohibited:

• pornography;
• explicit sexual content;
• exploitative material;
• non-consensual content;
• unlawful adult products;
• obscene material prohibited under applicable law.

Artistic or educational content may be permitted at Ratch’s discretion where lawful and appropriately categorised.

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7. ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

The following are prohibited:

• live animals;
• endangered species products;
• ivory;
• products prohibited under wildlife protection laws;
• unlawful animal-derived materials.

Sellers must comply with all applicable animal welfare and wildlife regulations.

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8. MEDICAL, HEALTH, AND REGULATED PRODUCTS

The following are prohibited unless legally authorised and compliant with applicable regulations:

• prescription medicines;
• controlled substances;
• medical devices lacking approvals;
• misleading health claims;
• unsafe supplements;
• counterfeit health products.

Sellers are responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance for all health-related products.

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9. ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND AGE-RESTRICTED PRODUCTS

The following may not be listed unless expressly permitted by Ratch and compliant with all laws:

• alcohol;
• tobacco products;
• vaping products;
• nicotine products;
• age-restricted goods.

Sellers are responsible for all legal age verification obligations.

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10. DIGITAL CONTENT AND SOFTWARE

The following are prohibited:

• pirated software;
• stolen digital accounts;
• unauthorised licence keys;
• malware;
• spyware;
• hacking tools;
• phishing software;
• unlawful digital services.

Sellers must own or have lawful rights to distribute all digital products.

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11. FRAUDULENT, MISLEADING, OR DECEPTIVE LISTINGS

Sellers must not:

• misrepresent products;
• use misleading photographs;
• make false claims;
• manipulate reviews;
• artificially inflate prices;
• impersonate brands or creators;
• engage in deceptive sales practices.

Listings must accurately reflect:

• product condition;
• origin;
• materials;
• dimensions;
• pricing;
• dispatch times.

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12. PROHIBITED SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES

The following activities are prohibited:

• money laundering;
• fraud;
• phishing;
• scams;
• pyramid schemes;
• unauthorised financial services;
• illegal gambling;
• unlawful data collection;
• account reselling;
• abusive conduct;
• platform manipulation.

Users must not use the Platform for unlawful or harmful purposes.

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13. RESTRICTED HANDMADE AND CUSTOM PRODUCTS

Products described as:

• handmade;
• handcrafted;
• original;
• vintage;
• custom-made must genuinely meet those descriptions.

Mass-produced items falsely marketed as handmade or original may be removed.

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14. PRODUCT SAFETY AND RECALLS

Sellers must:

• monitor product safety obligations;
• comply with recalls;
• immediately remove unsafe products;
• cooperate with safety investigations where required.

Ratch may remove products where consumer safety concerns arise.

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15. ENFORCEMENT

Ratch may take action including:

• listing removal;
• account suspension;
• permanent bans;
• withholding marketplace access;
• reporting unlawful activity to authorities;
• cooperating with law enforcement or regulators.

Ratch reserves sole discretion in determining violations of this Policy.

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16. REPORTING VIOLATIONS

Users may report prohibited items or unlawful activity through:

• the Platform reporting tools;
• support channels;
• intellectual property complaint procedures.

Ratch may investigate reports and request supporting evidence.

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17. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

Ratch may update this Policy at any time. Updated versions will be published on the Platform with a revised “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Platform constitutes acceptance of updated policies.

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18. CONTACT

Ratch legal@ratch.uk