Meta's Commerce Policies don't ban everyday food on Facebook Marketplace, but they do ban several foods and drinks outright: raw fish, meat and eggs, alcohol, vitamins, protein powder and other ingestible supplements, infant and adult nutritional formula, and any food or drink that makes a health or medical claim. Whatever you sell, you're also responsible for following the food laws where you live.
I looked through every section of the Commerce Policies that touches food, because no single page covers it. Food rules are scattered across the animals, medical, alcohol and drugs policies, which is why so many listings get rejected for reasons the seller never saw coming.
The food and drink Marketplace bans
| Item | Allowed? | Which policy says so |
|---|---|---|
| Raw fish, meat or eggs | No | Land, animals and animal products: some products from animals intended for consumption aren't allowed |
| Alcoholic drinks of any kind | No | Alcohol |
| Kits for making alcohol | No | Alcohol |
| Vitamins and protein powder | No | Medical and healthcare products: ingestible supplements |
| Infant and adult nutritional formula | No | Medical and healthcare products |
| Food or drinks that make health or medical claims | No | Medical and healthcare products |
| Marijuana products, including edibles | No | Prescription products, drugs and drug paraphernalia |
| Recalled or banned products | No | Recalled products |
The two that trip people up most are formula and health claims. Baby formula is a common thing to have left over, but it's on the banned list. And a perfectly ordinary cake or juice becomes a problem the moment the listing says it boosts immunity, cures anything or helps you lose weight. The policy bans the claim, so keep descriptions to what's in it and how it's made.
What about homemade cakes, jams and meals?
Home-cooked food isn't named on any of the banned lists I checked. That doesn't make it automatically fine. Meta's Commerce Policies say buyers and sellers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations. Selling food you've made at home is often covered by local rules, so check what applies where you live before you list.
If you sell as a business, there's another limit. Meta says Marketplace is intended for consumer-to-consumer sales, and businesses or people acting in a business capacity in the European Economic Area, the Philippines and India may have their Marketplace access suspended or their listings removed if they try to sell there.
Selling kitchen gear alongside your baking? Check what the knife and weapons rules allow.
Food-related items that are fine
Plenty of kitchen and drinks gear is allowed. The alcohol policy specifically allows glasses, coolers and wine bottle holders, plus books and DVDs about alcohol. If you sell as a business, items carrying an alcohol brand or logo can still be sold, but they may be subject to country and age restrictions. The animals policy allows cages and products for animal use, so pet bowls and feeders are fine even though selling the animals themselves isn't.
Recalled products are banned too, and Facebook points out that in many places it's illegal to sell recalled items. If you're not sure about a packaged food or a kitchen appliance, check the manufacturer's website before you list it. For anything that touches food or skin, Facebook's selling guide has a sensible rule of thumb: personal hygiene items should be brand new and in the original sealed packaging, and anything you sell should be clean. My guide to selling on Facebook Marketplace has the full listing steps.
What happens if you list banned food
- Facebook's systems or a report flag the listing.
- The listing is rejected for breaking the Commerce Policies.
- You can request a review if you think it was a mistake.
- If you break the Commerce Policies, Facebook may limit or suspend your Marketplace access, and it warns you when your access is at risk.
If your listing is stuck rather than rejected, that's a different status, and my guide on why a Facebook Marketplace listing is pending explains it. The animals rules overlap with food in a few places, so it's worth reading can you sell animals on Facebook Marketplace too if you keep hens or sell farm produce.
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My advice
Sell the kitchen kit freely, and think twice about the food itself. Leave raw meat, eggs, alcohol, supplements and formula off Marketplace altogether, because they'll be rejected. For homemade food, check the law where you live first, list exactly what's in it and never make a health claim. If you're selling food as a regular business, Marketplace isn't built for that, and your own page or shop is the safer route.
Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Related: wine: guidelines and how to pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sell food on Facebook Marketplace?
Meta's Commerce Policies don't ban everyday food, but raw fish, meat and eggs, alcohol, ingestible supplements, nutritional formula and any food or drink making health or medical claims aren't allowed.
Can you sell eggs on Facebook Marketplace?
No. The animals policy lists some products from animals intended for consumption, such as raw fish, meat or eggs, as not allowed.
Can you sell protein powder or vitamins on Facebook Marketplace?
No. Ingestible supplements, including protein powder and vitamins, are banned under the medical and healthcare products policy.
Can you sell baby formula on Facebook Marketplace?
No. Infant and adult nutritional formula is on the not allowed list in the medical and healthcare products policy.
