Starting September 27, every shop in the EU will have to put up a clear notice about the legal guarantee on products. The goal is to make consumer rights obvious and stop confusion with extra commercial warranties.
Shoppers in the European Union will soon notice a big change at the checkout. From September 27, all shops—both in person and online—must show a clear European notice about customers' legal guarantee rights before any sale. This is not just another rule. It comes after years of buyers not knowing what protection they really have if a product fails. Legal 500 says the new rules are meant to make information the same everywhere and to make sure buyers can easily tell the difference between the legal guarantee and any extra commercial warranties at the point of sale.
Right now, EU law gives every consumer at least a two-year legal guarantee against defects or products that do not match what was promised. In Spain, the standard is even higher: since 2022, new products come with a three-year legal guarantee. Still, many people do not know their rights, especially when brands push extra commercial warranties. The European Commission wants to end this confusion by making shops put the legal guarantee front and center. IHK Dresden points out that these new rules do not give consumers more rights—they just make things clearer and more transparent for buyers.
The GARAN label will only be mandatory for products where the manufacturer voluntarily offers a free durability guarantee longer than two years, and not for all goods.
The changes go further than just a notice. A new label—EU GARAN—will soon show up on some products. This label is only for items where the maker gives a free commercial durability guarantee that lasts longer than two years and covers the whole product. If these conditions are met and the maker gives all the needed details, shops must show the EU GARAN label in a spot that is easy to see. The label will show, right away, how many years the maker promises the product will work as it should under normal use. If the product breaks down during that time, the maker must repair or replace it for free. But sector experts warn that the GARAN label is about a commercial guarantee, not a proven technical lifespan.
Shops can put these labels in different places: right on the product, on the box, on the shelf next to the item, or next to the product image online. Not every product will have the EU GARAN label—only those that meet the tougher commercial guarantee rules. What will be everywhere is the general legal guarantee notice, which every shop must show from September 27. The Portugal News reports that this two-part system is meant to stop confusion between the basic legal guarantee and any extra voluntary warranties.
This overhaul is meant to cut through marketing and make sure buyers know exactly what legal protection they have, no matter what extra warranties a brand tries to sell. For shoppers in Spain, who already get a longer legal guarantee, the new rules will make it even harder for shops to blur the line between legal rights and optional extras.
On the GARAN label, retailers must indicate the duration of the commercial guarantee, the brand or manufacturer, and the model identifier. The label can be placed on the product, its packaging, on the shelf, or in the online product listing, as outlined by industry and legal sources.
By making guarantee information the same everywhere, Brussels is betting that more transparency will help people make better choices and avoid disputes. The real test will come as the new system starts and both shops and buyers get used to seeing rights out in the open, not hidden in the fine print. This is one EU rule that brings real, practical benefits for everyday shoppers—and it sets a new standard for clear consumer information in Europe.
