Legal guarantee notice and GARAN label: what it is, who must show it and how to add it to Shopify
Since 27 September 2026, every online shop selling goods to consumers in the European Union has to remind them of their legal guarantee with a harmonised notice, the same in every country. And if the manufacturer offers a durability guarantee of more than two years, it is shown with the GARAN label. This guide explains what each one is, who has to show it, the period in each country and how to add it to Shopify step by step, without touching code.
What the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label are
The harmonised notice is an official graphic, with fixed texts, colours and a QR code, that reminds consumers they have a legal guarantee of conformity of at least two years, what they can ask for if the product is faulty (repair, replacement, price reduction or termination) and that the seller is the one responsible. None of its elements can be changed.
The GARAN label is something else: it represents the producer's commercial guarantee of durability. It is only used when the manufacturer offers, at no extra cost, a guarantee that covers the whole item and lasts more than two years. Only three fields of the label can be changed: the years, the brand and the model.
What the law requires and since when
The obligation comes from Directive (EU) 2024/825, which amends Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU. Before the consumer is bound by the contract, the trader must remind them of the legal guarantee and its minimum duration "in a prominent manner" and using the harmonised notice. It applies from 27 September 2026.
The exact design of the notice (Annex I) and of the label (Annex II) is set by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960, directly applicable in every country from the same date. In online sales, both must be shown in colour.
Who has to show it
- The notice: any shop selling goods to consumers in the EU, including sales within its own country. The size of the shop makes no difference.
- The GARAN label: the shop, only on products whose manufacturer offers that durability guarantee and has passed on the information.
- It does not apply to business-to-business sales only. For digital content and services a reminder of the legal guarantee is required, but not with the harmonised notice.
Legal guarantee period by country
Directive (EU) 2019/771 sets a minimum of two years and lets each country give more. The notice has to show the period of the customer's country:
| Country | Legal guarantee for new goods |
|---|---|
| Spain | 3 years (TRLGDCU, art. 120) |
| Portugal | 3 years (Decreto-Lei 84/2021) |
| Sweden | 3 years |
| Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Poland | 2 years |
| Netherlands, Finland, Ireland | No fixed period: it depends on the expected lifespan of the item |
You will find the other countries, the presumption of non-conformity and the sources for each one in our full guide to the EU legal guarantee.
Where the notice goes in your shop
The law requires the notice to be shown prominently before the purchase, but does not set an exact place. In a Shopify store, the sensible places are:
- Product page: the notice near the price or the buy button, and the GARAN label next to the images of the products that have it.
- Cart: a reminder before going to checkout, on the cart page or in the cart drawer.
- Order confirmation email: as support, with the period of the delivery country. Never as the only place, because it arrives after the purchase.
How to add it to Shopify step by step
You can download the notice with our free generator and paste it as an image in your theme, but then every customer sees the same period and the same language. If you sell to several countries, it is easier with our app LG EU Warranty Notice & GARAN, which has a free plan:
- Install the app from the Shopify App Store and choose the free plan.
- Place the notice on the product page. On the app's home screen, "Add to the product page" opens the theme editor with the block already added; move it near the buy button and save. If you want it on every page, turn on the footer strip.
- Add it to the cart. From the same screen you can add the block to the cart page or turn on the notice in the cart drawer.
- Check the periods by country. The legal minimum of each country is already set (3 years in Spain and Portugal). Raise them if you give a longer guarantee and untick the countries you don't sell to. The notice is shown in the customer's language and only in EU or EEA markets.
- Set up the GARAN label on products whose manufacturer gives a durability guarantee of more than two years: years, brand and model.
- Add the notice to the order email. Copy the snippet the app gives you and paste it in Settings › Notifications › Order confirmation › Edit code, at the end and before the footer.
- Check your store by choosing an EU country in the country selector: outside the EU the notice does not appear.
See the app on the Shopify App Store (free plan)
You can also read more on the app's page on our website.
Most common mistakes
- Saying "2 years" to customers in Spain or Portugal. There, the legal guarantee for new goods is three years.
- Editing the notice. Changing texts or colours, removing the QR code or cropping it means it is no longer the harmonised notice.
- Putting it only in the terms of sale or in the email. It has to be shown prominently before the purchase.
- Using the GARAN label for the shop's own guarantee. It is only for the manufacturer's durability guarantee.
- Showing a black and white version. In online sales, the notice and the label are in colour.
- One period for everyone. If you sell to several countries, each customer should see the period of their own country.
Is your shop on PrestaShop?
We have the same notice and the GARAN label for PrestaShop, on the product page, the cart and the checkout: see our EU legal guarantee and GARAN label module for PrestaShop.
Frequently asked questions
Is it enough to mention the guarantee in the terms of sale?
No. The directive requires a prominent reminder with the harmonised notice before the purchase. The terms of sale are a support, but the period you state there must match the one in the notice.
Do I have to show the GARAN label on every product?
No. Only on products with a free durability guarantee from the manufacturer that covers the whole item and lasts more than two years. The legal guarantee notice, on the other hand, always goes.
What if I also sell outside the EU?
The notice is for EU consumers. The app only shows it to customers in EU or EEA markets, so the rest don't see it.
Which language is it shown in?
The regulation publishes the notice in all the official EU languages. The natural choice is to show it in the language you sell to each customer in.
To review your shop's other obligations, check for free whether your Shopify store complies with EU rules.
This guide is for information only and is not a substitute for legal advice.