Google Shopping Feed Requirements: The 2026 Compliance Checklist

Meeting Google Shopping feed requirements is the foundation of a successful e-commerce strategy. In 2026, Google Merchant Center has expanded its requirements to include more descriptive, high-quality, and transparent data to power its AI-driven search experiences.

This comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to know for a compliant and optimized Google Shopping feed in 2026.

1. Core Required Fields (The Foundation)

Basic Product Information

id: Unique product identifier (SKU). Must be consistent across all updates.
title: Product name. In 2026, Google prioritizes titles that include Brand, Product Type, and Key Attributes (size, color, material) within the first 70 characters.
description: Up to 5,000 characters. Use AI Description Optimization to ensure your description answers common shopper questions.
link: Direct URL to the product page. Must be HTTPS and mobile-optimized.
image_link: High-resolution main image (min 100x100, 800x800 recommended). No watermarks or promotional text.

Pricing and Availability

price: Must match your website price exactly. Use the format 29.99 USD.
availability: Values: in stock, out of stock, preorder, backorder.
condition: Values: new, refurbished, used.

Unique Product Identifiers (UPIs)

brand: Required for all products with a clearly defined brand.
gtin: Global Trade Item Number (UPC, EAN, ISBN). Required for most products.
mpn: Manufacturer Part Number. Required if GTIN is unavailable.

2. New for 2026: The “AI & Trust” Attributes

Google has introduced several new attributes to feed its generative AI search results:

short_title: A concise version of your title (max 60 chars) for mobile and AI overview snippets.
lifestyle_image_link: At least one image showing the product in a real-world setting.
product_highlight: 2-10 short bullet points highlighting the most important features.
sustainability_label: For products with verified eco-friendly certifications (GOTS, Energy Star, etc.).
loyalty_program: Details of your store’s loyalty points or member-only pricing.

3. Mandatory Policies & Technical Standards

Website & Business Requirements

HTTPS Everywhere: Your entire site must be secure.
Return & Refund Policy: Must be clearly linked from your product pages and Merchant Center.
Accurate Tax & Shipping: Must be configured at the account level or via the shipping and tax attributes in the feed.

Data Quality Standards

Encoding: UTF-8 is mandatory.
Frequency: In 2026, daily updates are the minimum. High-volume stores should move toward Real-Time Sync (every 15-60 minutes).
No Placeholder Images: Images showing “No Image Available” or generic logos will lead to immediate disapproval.

4. How to Optimize for Maximum Performance

Meeting requirements gets you approved; optimization gets you sales.

Title Sequencing: Put the most important keywords first.
Semantic Categorization: Don’t just stop at a high-level category. Use the specific Google Product Taxonomy (e.g., Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Dresses > Day Dresses).
Custom Labels: Use custom_label_0 through custom_label_4 to group products by profit margin, seasonality, or performance (e.g., “Best Sellers”).

Automate Your Compliance with AI Shopping Feeds

Manually checking 1,000+ products against this checklist is impossible. AI Shopping Feeds automates the entire process:

Instant Audit: Catch missing GTINs and formatting errors before you upload.
AI Enhancement: Automatically generate short_title and product_highlight fields.
Real-Time Sync: Keep your prices and availability 100% accurate, 24/7.

Get Your Free Feed Audit Today → — See exactly what’s missing from your Google Shopping feed.