EU Warranty Labeling Requirements 2026: Legal Guarantee and GARAN Label

Jun 17, 2026Digital & Product Solutions

From 27 September 2026 (subject to national implementation), the EU will introduce new warranty labeling and consumer information requirements affecting how warranty and durability information must be communicated to consumers.

The requirements come from Directive (EU) 2024/825 and focus on:

A standardized EU legal guarantee notice
An EU GARAN label for qualifying durability guarantees

These rules do not change legal warranty rights, but standardize how information about those rights and certain durability guarantees is presented to consumers across the EU.

Companies should review product information, packaging, labeling, and digital sales content.

Legal Guarantee Notice (EU-Wide Requirement)

The EU will introduce a standardized notice explaining the legal guarantee of conformity.

Key points:

Applies broadly to consumer goods covered by EU rules on the sale of goods
Covers lack of conformity at delivery
EU law generally requires a legal guarantee period of at least two years, subject to national implementation
Mandatory consumer information requirement that must be provided in a prominent and standardized manner

Purpose:

To ensure consumers receive consistent and clear information about their legal rights across all Member States and sales channels.

EU GARAN Label (Durability Guarantees)

The GARAN label applies to specific voluntary commercial durability guarantees offered by manufacturers.

The GARAN label must be used where all of the following conditions are met:

The guarantee covers the entire product
It is provided free of charge
It lasts longer than the legal guarantee period (typically >2 years)
It is shared with traders for consumer communication
If these conditions are not met, the GARAN label does not apply.

The GARAN label is not required for every product and should only be used when the applicable legal conditions are met. It is a specific EU consumer information tool, not a general warranty label.

Business Impact

The requirements may affect multiple business areas:

Product packaging and labeling
User manuals
Product data sheets
E-commerce product pages
Online marketplaces
Marketing materials
PIM systems

Key requirement:

Warranty information must be:

consistent across all channels
easy for consumers to understand
aligned with EU requirements
displayed in a clear, visible, and standardized manner where required

What Companies Should Do

Early preparation is recommended.

Key actions:

Identify affected products
Review warranty and durability claims
Assess eligibility for GARAN label use
Update packaging and digital content
Verify that online shops and marketplace processes can display the legal guarantee notice and, where applicable, the GARAN label at the appropriate stage of the customer journey
Align internal approval workflows
Assign responsibility for warranty data

Large portfolios may require cross-functional coordination between compliance, product, marketing, and supply chain teams.

Regulatory Context

These changes are part of a broader EU effort to improve:

Transparency of product information
Consistency across Member States
Quality of consumer communication

They also align with future initiatives such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which will increase demand for structured product data.

How DEKRA Can Support

DEKRA supports companies in understanding EU product compliance requirements and regulatory changes affecting product information and labeling.

If you would like more information about the EU legal guarantee notice and GARAN label requirements, please contact DEKRA’s product compliance team.

Service Scope Note

Whether these requirements are included in testing, inspection, or certification activities depends on the agreed service scope.

If this is required, it must be clearly defined in the service agreement.

Next Steps

Companies should begin reviewing warranty and product information processes now to ensure compliance by 2026.

Early action helps:

reduce packaging rework
ensure consistent EU-wide communication
support smooth regulatory implementation

DEKRA recommends starting preparations early, especially for retailers, importers, and online sellers with large EU product portfolios.

Legal Disclaimer

This article provides a general overview of EU legislation based on currently available information and does not constitute legal advice. Implementation details may be further specified through national transposition and additional EU guidance.