Note: This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For a legally binding assessment, please consult a qualified lawyer.
TL;DR - the EU warranty label at a glance
- From 27 September 2026, online sellers in the EU must display the harmonised notice on the legal guarantee of conformity (commonly called the "EU warranty label") prominently.
- Legal basis: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960, adopted as required by Directive (EU) 2024/825 ("Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition"); the notice reminds consumers of the legal guarantee under the Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771.
- The notice is a shop-level reminder and links via QR code and clickable link to the "Your Europe" portal.
- There is also the EU GARAN label - but only for a free commercial guarantee of durability offered by the producer for more than two years.
- Design, colours, text and QR code are prescribed and must not be changed - official files exist in all 24 EU official languages.
- With the EU warranty label for Shopify, the official notice is shown automatically and in the customer's language - with no theme edit.
What is the EU warranty label?
The "EU warranty label" refers to the harmonised notice on the legal guarantee of conformity. It informs consumers EU-wide that they have statutory rights if goods are defective - independent of any voluntary manufacturer guarantee.
The EU labelling consists of two independent elements that complement each other:
- The harmonised notice (mandatory): Reminds consumers of the legal guarantee (at least two years) and links via QR code to the "Your Europe" portal.
- The EU GARAN label (voluntary): Marks a specific product for which the producer offers a free commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years.
Legal basis: Regulation (EU) 2025/1960, Directive 2024/825 and 2019/771
The obligation stems from a chain of EU acts:
- Directive (EU) 2024/825 (empowering consumers for the green transition, amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU) required the Commission to specify the design and content of a harmonised notice and label.
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 delivers this: it fixes the format, colours, text, QR codes and languages of the notice and the GARAN label.
- In substance, the notice reminds consumers of the legal guarantee of conformity under the Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771 - in Germany implemented in §§ 434 et seq. BGB.
The measures apply from 27 September 2026. No additional grace period is foreseen.
Who must display the notice?
The obligation to display the harmonised notice applies to sellers of goods to consumers - online and offline. For online sales this means: the notice must appear as a prominent, general reminder on the website. Sector, revenue and company size are irrelevant; pure B2B trade is not covered.
How and where must the notice appear online?
The European Commission's practical guidelines (April 2026) list several acceptable placements for digital display. Sellers have flexibility as long as the notice is prominent:
- Product catalogue / category page: a sentence such as "Your legal guarantee rights", behind which the full notice appears on the first click or mouse roll-over.
- Website header: the same reminder sentence opening the notice on click/roll-over.
- Checkout page: the notice before the order is placed.
- Order confirmation email: the notice should also be included in the confirmation email.
For digital display: use the RGB colour version, the notice must be legible at default size, and a clickable link to the same destination as the QR code (the "Your Europe" portal) must always be available.
A prominent, automatic display directly on the product page is one of the most visible permitted options - exactly where the EU warranty label for Shopify places the official notice.
What the notice says
- At least two years of legal guarantee of conformity for goods sold in the EU.
- Consumers can enforce their rights if goods do not match the description or do not function as intended.
- Sellers must then offer free repair or replacement, and in certain cases a price reduction or full refund.
- Used goods: some countries may apply a shorter period - but not less than one year.
- QR code to "Your Europe": leads to country-specific detail in the relevant language.
Automatically in the customer's language
The notice is available in all 24 EU official languages so consumers understand the information in their own language. This is precisely why the EU provides official language versions: the information must be understandable.
For cross-border stores this is the biggest manual pitfall: a hard-coded German graphic does not satisfy the requirement for French, Italian or Polish customers. A solution that adapts the official notice automatically to the storefront / customer language removes this burden - and ensures every visitor sees the notice in the correct official language.
The design is prescribed - do not redesign it
The guidelines are clear: no element of the notice may be edited. Prohibited, among others:
- changing colours, applying filters or effects,
- changing spacing, alignment or typography (font, weight, style, size),
- moving, resizing or editing the QR code,
- cropping, stretching or removing elements,
- adding new elements, icons or text.
Only the official files from the European Commission may be used (RGB for digital, CMYK for print).
The GARAN label in brief
The EU GARAN label (Annex II) is not mandatory for sellers. It marks a specific product for which the producer voluntarily offers a free commercial guarantee of durability - at no extra cost, for the entire good, and for more than two years. The seller only displays the label if the producer provides the information. Details in Legal guarantee vs. manufacturer guarantee & the GARAN label.
Consequences of non-compliance
If the notice is missing or altered/incorrect, the main risk is unfair-competition warnings (Abmahnung) by competitors and consumer associations. Because the labelling is standardised and easy to check from the outside, warning activity is to be expected from the application date.
Setting it up in Shopify
The EU warranty label for Shopify is built for implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960: it shows the official notice automatically and prominently - as a Theme App Extension with one click, no theme code. The notice follows the customer's language automatically across 24 EU official languages, with a clickable link to the "Your Europe" portal. Exclusion rules hide it for B2B products or services; if the producer advertises a guarantee, the GARAN label is added.
You as the merchant decide which products are labelled and whether a guarantee exists. The app is a technical tool and not legal advice. A step-by-step guide is available in Set up the EU warranty label in Shopify.
FAQ about the EU warranty label
When does the obligation start? From 27 September 2026, the application date of Directive (EU) 2024/825; the details are set by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960.
Must the notice be on every product page? A prominent, shop-level notice is required. Acceptable placements include the catalogue page, header, checkout (on click/roll-over) and the confirmation email. Automatic display on every product page is a particularly visible option.
May I design the label myself? No. Colours, layout, typography and QR code are prescribed; only the official files are used.
In which language must the notice appear? In the language the customer understands - the EU provides it in all 24 official languages.
What is the difference from a manufacturer guarantee? The legal guarantee is mandatory and always applies; a manufacturer guarantee is voluntary. More in Legal guarantee vs. manufacturer guarantee.
Further reading:
- EU warranty label for Shopify
- Legal guarantee vs. manufacturer guarantee: the GARAN label & § 479 BGB
- Set up the EU warranty label in Shopify: step by step
Primary legal sources: Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 (EUR-Lex) · Directive (EU) 2024/825 · Directive (EU) 2019/771 · § 479 BGB · Your Europe - Guarantees