Policy violation suspensions cover a broad set of rules about what you can sell and how you present it. This guide maps every major violation category to its cause and fix, so you know exactly what to address before submitting your appeal.
A policy violation suspension differs from a misrepresentation suspension in one important way: misrepresentation is about accuracy (your data does not match reality), while policy violations are about what you sell and how. You can have perfectly accurate data and still get suspended if a product category requires specific account-level setup you have not completed, or if your product copy makes claims Google does not allow.
The free GMCSuspension.com audit scans your store against every policy violation category and tells you what to fix before appealing.
Run Free Audit →Most policy violations start as warnings. Google sends an email naming the violation and giving you a deadline to fix it, typically 7 to 28 days depending on the severity. If you fix it before the deadline, the suspension never happens. If you miss the deadline or the same violation recurs, the account is suspended.
Some violations, particularly those involving counterfeit goods, adult content served to minors, or financial fraud, skip the warning stage entirely and go straight to suspension. These are treated as prohibited content rather than correctable policy violations.
Selling healthcare products, financial services, gambling-adjacent products, or alcohol requires you to complete Google's restricted product category verification before serving ads. The suspension happens when Google finds products in a restricted category and your account does not have the corresponding verification on file. Fix: apply for the restricted category access in your GMC account settings, complete any required documentation, and do not run ads for those products until verification is approved.
Product titles or descriptions that make false comparisons ("the world's best"), use superlatives without evidence, or imply an official endorsement that does not exist violate Google's ad copy policies. Fix: rewrite titles and descriptions to describe the product accurately without comparative or superlative claims you cannot verify. Google's AI now scans titles and descriptions at feed fetch time, not only at review time.
Using a brand name you do not own in a product title (e.g., "Nike-style sneakers"), using brand logos without authorisation, or selling products that infringe a copyright or trademark. The April 2026 AI rollout added similarity scoring that compares product images and titles against a database of protected brands. Fix: remove any unauthorised brand references from titles, descriptions, and images. If you are an authorised reseller, upload your reseller certificate to your GMC account.
Phrases like "clinically proven," "cures," "treats," "eliminates," or "scientifically formulated to prevent" in product titles or descriptions trigger Google's health claim detector. This applies to supplements, skincare, fitness equipment, and any product where health outcomes are implied. Fix: revise the copy to describe what the product contains or does (e.g., "contains 500mg vitamin C") rather than what it treats or cures. Remove any claim that implies a medical outcome.
Products that are age-restricted in any market (alcohol, tobacco, firearms accessories, adult novelty items) need account-level age verification enabled and must not be served to users below the legal age. Without this, the products are a policy violation even if the products themselves are legal to sell. Fix: enable age-sensitive categories in your GMC account settings, add an age-gate on the relevant product pages, and ensure your feed includes the correct age_group attribute.
The April 2026 AI verification rollout extended automated policy enforcement to several categories that previously only triggered on manual review. Health claim detection now runs against product titles and descriptions at feed fetch time. Intellectual property similarity scoring compares images and titles at scale. Age-restricted category detection now flags accounts without the required verification even if no complaint was filed.
Stores that were borderline compliant in 2025 may now find themselves suspended for copy that was not flagged before. For the full list of changes, see the 2026 GMC policy changes guide.
Run the free audit. It checks every policy violation category from this guide and gives you a prioritised fix list.
Start Free Audit →A policy violation suspension means Google found products or practices on your store that break its Shopping Ads policies. Unlike misrepresentation (which is about accuracy), policy violations are about what you sell or how you present it. Common categories include restricted product categories used without proper setup, misleading ad copy, intellectual property violations, and health or efficacy claims without supporting documentation.
A warning gives you a deadline to fix the issue before your account is suspended. A suspension means the deadline passed or the violation was severe enough to skip the warning stage. Fix warnings immediately. Do not assume Google will send a second notice.
Most policy violation appeals are reviewed within 7 business days. Cases involving restricted categories (healthcare, financial services, alcohol) take longer because they require a human reviewer to verify your authorisation documents. Submit all required documents with your first appeal to avoid a second round.
Yes. For prohibited or restricted products you cannot properly set up, removing them from the feed is the correct fix. Your appeal should state which products were removed and confirm they no longer appear in the feed or on the live store.
The April 2026 AI verification rollout added automated enforcement of health claim detection in product titles and descriptions, intellectual property similarity scoring, and age-restricted category detection without proper account-level verification. Stores that were borderline compliant in 2025 may now be suspended.