These changes take effect on 27 September 2026 and introduce a standardised notice about the legal guarantee, alongside a new European label for products covered by a longer commercial durability guarantee.

As reported by the European Commission, retailers must display the new notice clearly in physical shops and online, such as on a poster near a checkout or on a wall in a shop, while online, they must provide equivalent information on their websites.

This notice reminds shoppers that goods bought in the EU are generally covered by a minimum two-year legal guarantee, while Individual Member States can provide longer periods.

If a product covered by the guarantee does not work as expected, consumers may be entitled to have it repaired or replaced free of charge, depending on the circumstances and applicable national rules.

In certain cases, they may instead be entitled to a price reduction or a refund.

GARAN label

The changes also introduce the GARAN label, which can be displayed on products whose manufacturers voluntarily offer a commercial durability guarantee lasting more than two years.

This guarantee must cover the entire product, be provided at no additional cost, last longer than the standard two-year legal guarantee, and indicate the length of the guarantee in years, along with a QR code providing further information.

However, consumers should not expect to see the GARAN symbol on every product, as its use is voluntary and depends on whether the manufacturer offers the qualifying durability guarantee.

According to the European Commission, it tested the label with consumers before adopting the design and found that participants were more likely to choose a higher-priced product with a longer commercial durability guarantee when the information was displayed on the label.

The application date is set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 and coincides with the implementation of national measures linked to the EU directive on empowering consumers for the green transition.

This month, shoppers buying everything from mobile phones to household appliances may therefore notice additional guarantee information designed to make their rights and the durability of different products easier to compare.