If you sell physical goods to consumers within the European Union, there’s a major regulatory update on the horizon that you need to prepare for. Starting September 27, 2026, the European Commission is introducing new rules for product guarantee labelling under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960.
At the center of these changes are two standardized visual tools designed to make consumer rights and producer guarantees crystal clear across all EU markets. While everyone is talking about the mandatory "Legal Guarantee Notice," it’s the new, product-specific GARAN label that has merchants and manufacturers paying close attention.
Here is a breakdown of what the GARAN label is, when it applies, and how you can get your business ready.
What is the GARAN Label ?
The GARAN label—often referred to as the durability label—is a harmonized, EU-wide graphic. The title "GARAN" was chosen because it reads as "guarantee" in several European languages.
Unlike general store policies, the GARAN label is product-specific. It acts as a visual badge of honor for durable goods, communicating a commercial guarantee of durability offered by the producer. Essentially, it's a commitment that a product will maintain its required functions and performance through normal use for a specific number of years.
The label features a language-neutral design combined with text in all official EU languages. It contains three editable fields:
- The Producer's Brand/Trademark
- The Model Identifier
- The Guarantee Duration (in years, or 0.5 increments)
It also carries a fixed QR code that directs consumers straight to the EU’s consumer rights portal.
Legal Guarantee Notice vs. GARAN Label
To understand the GARAN label, it helps to distinguish it from the other new requirement: the Legal Guarantee Notice.
- The Harmonised Legal Guarantee Notice: This is a mandatory, general notice that all physical and online stores must display. It reminds consumers of their statutory right to a minimum 2-year protection against faulty goods. Think of it as a universal baseline.
- The GARAN Label: This is voluntary. It highlights a specific, voluntary producer commitment that goes above and beyond the standard 2-year statutory requirement.
When Does the GARAN Label Actually Apply ?
You shouldn't just slap a GARAN label on every item in your catalog. The label is strictly regulated and only applies when a product meets a very specific set of conditions.
The producer must offer a commercial guarantee of durability that is:
- Provided at no additional cost to the consumer.
- Covers the entire product.
- Lasts for more than two years.
Furthermore, the producer is responsible for making this guarantee information available to the seller. If these conditions aren't met, the GARAN label does not apply.
What Do Online and Physical Merchants Need to Do ?
While the producer decides whether to offer the extended durability guarantee, the seller is legally required to display the GARAN label prominently once that information is provided.
For Physical Stores:
You will need to display the label alongside the qualifying product so consumers can clearly identify which goods benefit from the extended guarantee.
For Online Merchants:
The European Commission has provided guidelines for a "nested label"—a compact version suited for digital storefronts where space is limited. However, the full label must always be accessible via a click or mouseover, and it must be included in the checkout flow and order confirmation emails.
Managing this at scale is a data challenge. E-commerce platforms will need to maintain specific guarantee information per product (such as duration, manufacturer, and model numbers) so that the storefront only renders the GARAN label when all conditions are met.
Getting Ready for September 2026
The implementation date of September 27, 2026, might seem far away, but preparing your catalog and digital infrastructure will take time.
Your action plan:
- Talk to your suppliers: Start asking your producers to confirm their guarantee terms and provide the necessary data. (This will likely be the most time-consuming step!)
- Update your product data: Ensure your store's backend has clean, accurate data for manufacturer names and product/model numbers.
- Check your platform: Look into how your e-commerce platform (like Shopify, Shopware, or WooCommerce) plans to support these new conditional labels.
By pushing for products that last and making those durability guarantees transparent, the EU is helping consumers make more sustainable choices. By getting ahead of the compliance curve now, you can use the GARAN label not just as a regulatory requirement, but as a powerful trust signal to boost your sales.