EU guarantee label (GARAN-Label) requirement from 27 September 2026
What manufacturers with guarantees over 2 years need to know and prepare now.
Who does the GARAN-Label apply to?
The GARAN-Label applies to manufacturers who offer a free guarantee covering the entire product for more than 2 years. This makes it initially a voluntary label. As soon as such a long-term guarantee is commercially advertised, however, it becomes mandatory.
There is also a separate legal guarantee label, mandatory for all B2C sellers of physical goods, covering statutory liability for defects.
Legal basis
- Directive (EU) 2019/771 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the sale of goods. It forms the basis for the harmonised notice and guarantee labelling.
- Directive (EU) 2024/825, the so-called Empowering Consumers Directive. It inserted the labelling requirement into the Sale of Goods Directive.
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. It sets out the specific design, minimum sizes, and mandatory content of the labels.
- In Germany, implemented via Art. 246 and 246a of the Introductory Act to the German Civil Code (EGBGB).
What must appear on the GARAN-Label?
Manufacturer details
Name and address of the manufacturer.
Guarantee terms
How the guarantee can be claimed, which products are covered, duration (at least 2+ years), and conditions.
Clarification
Clear notice that the consumer's statutory rights remain unaffected by the guarantee.
Formally: minimum print size 95×100 mm, fixed design elements (checkmark, calendar icon, QR code). Only guarantee duration, brand, and model identifier are editable. Online, the label must be displayed exclusively in colour, on the product detail page.
What happens in case of a violation?
A missing, incorrect, or incomplete label counts as a competition law violation and can lead to cease-and-desist warnings from competitors or consumer protection associations. This applies especially when a guarantee is advertised without providing the required guarantee terms.
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Try for free nowFrequently asked questions about the requirement
Legal basics
Do I have to use the label before 27.09.2026 already?
No, it becomes mandatory from that date. Earlier voluntary implementation is permitted and often makes sense from a customer communication perspective.
Does the requirement also apply to used goods?
The legal guarantee label generally applies to new and used goods. The GARAN-Label is only relevant if a commercial guarantee of over 2 years is actually offered.
Does this also apply to digital products?
No, both labels only concern physical goods, not digital content or services.
Who monitors compliance with this requirement?
There is no dedicated market surveillance specifically for this label. In practice, enforcement happens through competition law, i.e. through cease-and-desist warnings from competitors or consumer protection associations.
Does the requirement apply uniformly across the EU?
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 applies directly in all member states and does not need to be transposed into national law first. Minor additions only arise where national law, such as the EGBGB in Germany, imposes supplementary rules.
Practical implementation
Do I also need to provide the guarantee terms?
Yes. Displaying the GARAN-Label legally counts as guarantee advertising and requires you to simultaneously provide complete, legally compliant guarantee terms, at the latest at the time of delivery, on a durable medium.
What applies if my guarantee is under two years?
Then it does not fall under the GARAN-Label requirement. You can continue to advertise it freely without having to use the label.