EU GARAN Label Rules Effective September 27
The EU will implement statutory guarantee notices and the GARAN label system from September 27, 2026. Unlike general statutory guarantee notices, GARAN indicates a free manufacturer durability guarantee covering the entire product for more than two years.
The EU statutory guarantee notice and GARAN label system will apply from September 27, 2026.
The statutory guarantee is generally at least two years and may be longer under national law.
GARAN indicates a free manufacturer durability guarantee covering the entire product for more than two years.
The seller's liability under the statutory guarantee and the manufacturer's commercial guarantee exist separately.
Online, both notices must be displayed in color, and GARAN information for eligible products must also be shown immediately before the order is placed.
The EU will introduce the legal guarantee notice and GARAN labeling system from September 27, 2026. The legal guarantee notice provides common information at points of sale for consumer goods. GARAN applies only to manufacturer guarantees that are free of charge, cover the entire product, and last more than 2 years.
The dates and display specifications are based on the Your Europe guidance and implementing regulation verified on August 20, 2026.
What Changes from September 27, 2026
A standardized format for guarantee information will be introduced at points of sale for consumer goods. Sellers must display the legal guarantee notice prominently before the contract is concluded. Manufacturer guarantees that meet the conditions will be indicated with a product-specific GARAN label.
As of September 17, 2026, the application date has not yet arrived. The legal guarantee of at least 2 years itself is not newly created on that date. The new system distinguishes existing rights from additional guarantees. The implementation schedule is available in the European Commission’s explanation.
Article 3 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 specifies the application date.
It shall apply from 27 September 2026.
This means that it applies from September 27, 2026. The quotation is from Article 3 of the Implementing Regulation.
Comparison of the Legal Guarantee Notice and the GARAN Label
The legal guarantee notice explains the seller’s legal liability. The GARAN label indicates a separate durability commitment from the manufacturer. The two guarantees apply independently.
Category | Legal guarantee notice | GARAN label
Information provided | Rights under the legal guarantee of conformity | Manufacturer’s commercial guarantee of durability
Display scope | Common information at points of sale for consumer goods | Specific products that meet the conditions
Party responsible for the guarantee | Seller | Manufacturer providing the guarantee
Meaning of the period | Generally at least 2 years, with differences between countries | A period of more than 2 years promised by the manufacturer
Separate cost | Legal remedies are free of charge | Only guarantees provided at no additional cost qualify
Main remedy | Repair or replacement, and price reduction or refund subject to conditions | Free repair or replacement if the durability commitment is not fulfilled during normal use
The legal guarantee of conformity is the obligation for goods to conform to the contract. A typical example is when an advertised feature does not work. A guarantee of durability promises that functions and performance will be maintained during normal use. The manufacturer’s responsibility is summarized in Your Europe’s explanation of guarantees of durability.
GARAN Eligibility by Guarantee Type
GARAN covers guarantees of durability provided by manufacturers under certain conditions. Whether to offer such a guarantee is the manufacturer’s choice. If a seller receives information about a guarantee that meets the conditions, the seller is required to display the label.
Guarantee details | GARAN eligibility | Reason
Manufacturer’s guarantee of durability that is free of charge, covers the entire product, and lasts more than 2 years | Eligible | Meets all basic conditions
Free guarantee covering the entire product for exactly 2 years | Not eligible | Does not last more than 2 years
Long-term guarantee covering only certain parts, such as the motor | Not eligible | Does not cover the entire product
Extended guarantee requiring a separate fee | Not eligible | Does not meet the no-additional-cost condition
Additional guarantee independently offered by the seller | Not eligible solely on that basis | GARAN indicates a manufacturer’s guarantee of durability
Other forms of commercial guarantee may also be offered. However, they must not be confused with a GARAN guarantee. The absence of a label does not mean that the legal guarantee is also absent. The eligibility conditions follow the Your Europe guidance for businesses.
Relationship Between the Minimum 2 Years and National Guarantee Periods
The EU’s 2-year period is a general minimum standard of protection. It does not reduce a longer period established by national law to 2 years. In principle, the legal guarantee period is calculated from the time the goods are received.
Spain applies a legal guarantee of at least 3 years to new goods. This appears in guidance issued by the European Consumer Centre Spain on August 12, 2026. These 3 years are not an additional guarantee voluntarily offered by the manufacturer. This information is available in the announcement by the European Consumer Centre Spain.
The following periods must be distinguished from one another.
· Legal guarantee period: The period during which the seller’s legal liability applies.
· GARAN display period: The period for which the manufacturer guarantees durability.
· Period relating to proof of defects: This concerns who must prove the existence of a defect.
The common period condition for GARAN is “more than 2 years.” This does not mean that it must exceed every country’s longer legal period. The number of years shown must not simply be added to the legal period.
Display Differences Between Physical Stores and Online Shops
Physical stores place the common notice separately from product-specific labels. Online, it must also be possible to identify which products are covered by a guarantee. In particular, GARAN information for orders requiring payment must also be clear immediately before the order is placed.
Item | Physical store | Online shop
Location of legal guarantee notice | A prominent wall, near the checkout, or a similar location | Prominent common information visible before the contract is concluded
GARAN location | On the relevant product, packaging, shelf, or similar location | Near the relevant product image or a similar location
Display immediately before ordering | Distinguished from online ordering rules | Clearly display the relevant GARAN information
Color | Color or black and white | Color
Minimum printed size of notice | A4 | Not a rule converting print specifications into pixels
Minimum printed size of label | 95 × 100 mm | An approved expandable display may be used
An expandable display is a method of opening the full label from a smaller display. The full content must appear on the first click, mouse-over, or touch. The display on a product details page must be distinguished from the display immediately before ordering. The obligation immediately before ordering is set out in Directive (EU) 2024/825.
How to Read the Number and Design of the GARAN Label
The large number indicates in years the guarantee period promised by the manufacturer. The brand and model identifiers specify the product covered by the guarantee. The QR code links to Your Europe’s explanation of the system.
Display element | Meaning or specification
Large number | Manufacturer’s guarantee of durability period, in years
Brand and model identifiers | Identify the guarantee provider and covered model
Calendar symbol | Helps indicate that the period is expressed in years
Legal guarantee information section | Indicates that legal rights against the seller also exist
QR code | Additional explanation of the common guarantee system
Font | Inter
Text specifications at the minimum printed size | Translated text 7 pt, brand and model 9 pt, period number 80 pt
The editable fields are the period and the brand and model identifiers. The title, calendar symbol, QR code, and other elements must not be changed arbitrarily. The proportions of the elements and the overall layout must also be maintained when enlarged. The specifications are set out in Annex II to the Implementing Regulation.
The legal guarantee notice is provided in each official EU language. GARAN includes multilingual wording explaining the number of years covered by the manufacturer’s guarantee. Official images and vector files are available on the Commission’s resources page.
Relationship Between Repair, Replacement, Price Reduction, and Refund
A legal guarantee claim is made against the seller. If the goods are defective or differ from the advertised features, free repair or replacement is the primary remedy. The existence of a manufacturer’s guarantee does not eliminate the seller’s liability.
If repair or replacement is impossible, other remedies are considered. This may also apply when the issue is not resolved within a reasonable period. Whether a specific price reduction or contract termination is available depends on the legal conditions. The general principles are explained in Your Europe’s legal guarantee guidance.
· Refunds due to product defects must be distinguished from returns due to a change of mind.
· GARAN’s basic durability commitment is free repair or replacement by the manufacturer.
· The label alone does not mean that every malfunction or accident is covered.
Difference Between the QR Code and an Individual Guarantee Document
The GARAN QR code does not replace an individual product guarantee document. The QR code provides general information about the system. The detailed terms of the actual guarantee must be checked in the commercial guarantee document.
The guarantee document must include the manufacturer’s name and address. It must also specify the claim procedure and the goods covered. An explanation that legal rights are not limited by the commercial guarantee is also required.
Record | Information that can be verified
GARAN label | Displayed period and covered model
Commercial guarantee document | Manufacturer’s contact details, claim procedure, and specific terms
Purchase and delivery records | Seller and date the goods were received
The guarantee document must be provided no later than the time the goods are delivered. It must be in a form that can be stored, such as paper or email. A photograph of the label and the guarantee document are therefore separate forms of supporting information. The relevant requirements are explained in the Commission’s practical guidelines.
Update Periods for Smart Appliances Are a Separate Item
The end date for software updates cannot be determined solely from the number of years shown by GARAN. The Directive treats the period for providing updates as a separate item of information. It is disclosed when the manufacturer or another party has provided that information to the seller.
This is also relevant to appliances with digital features. A guarantee of durability and update support are separate items to check. The following distinction summarizes the Directive’s information items from the consumer’s perspective.
Item to check | Question it can answer
GARAN period | For how many years does the manufacturer guarantee durability?
Update provision period | Until when will necessary updates be provided?
Individual guarantee terms | What procedure applies if a functional problem occurs?
This distinction does not mean that the two periods must be the same or different. It means that other support periods should not be inferred from the number on the label alone. The basis for the separate disclosure is found in Article 2 of Directive (EU) 2024/825.
Common Mistakes When Reading Guarantee Displays
The most common misreading is to treat the number on the label as the expiration date for all rights. The meaning of the period differs depending on the party providing the guarantee and its legal basis. Making the following distinctions can reduce incorrect calculations.
Misreading | Correct interpretation
The EU guarantee is exactly 2 years in every country | National law may establish a longer period
The GARAN period is added after the legal period | The two guarantees are separate and are not automatically added together
Free remedies are unavailable without GARAN | The legal guarantee exists independently of the label
A long parts guarantee qualifies for GARAN | The guarantee must meet the condition of covering the entire product
GARAN is a system under which the EU provides compensation directly | The manufacturer that promised durability is responsible
The QR code contains all product terms | Individual terms must be checked in the relevant commercial guarantee document
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GARAN Mandatory on Every Product?
It is not a label applied to every product. The manufacturer’s guarantee must be free of charge, cover the entire product, and last more than 2 years. If the seller is provided with the relevant information, the seller is required to display it for the product concerned.
Must the Legal Guarantee Notice Be Attached to Every Product?
The common notice provides information at the point-of-sale level. It is displayed prominently, such as on a store wall or in a common information section online. Its role differs from GARAN, which identifies product-specific guarantees.
Does the Seller’s Liability End When the Manufacturer’s Guarantee Ends?
It does not end automatically. The legal guarantee applies separately from the commercial guarantee. The legal period and claim conditions in the relevant country must be considered.
Can I Receive an Immediate Refund If the Product Breaks Down?
An immediate refund does not apply to every defect. Free repair or replacement is the primary remedy. Separate conditions apply to price reductions or contract termination.
Do Second-Hand Goods Always Have a Guarantee of at Least 2 Years?
Country-specific exceptions must be checked for second-hand goods. Some countries allow a shorter period by agreement. Even in that case, the period cannot be set at less than 1 year.
Do the Same Rules Apply to Goods Purchased from an Individual?
These EU consumer guarantee rules do not apply to transactions between individuals. Whether they apply is not determined solely by the fact that the purchase was made online. It is necessary to determine whether the seller is a business.
Is Keeping Only the GARAN Label Enough to Make a Guarantee Claim?
The label is evidence used to verify the covered model and displayed period. The claim procedure and terms must be checked in the guarantee document. Purchase and delivery records are used to verify the seller and the date the goods were received.
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