EU rules tighten environmental claims and clarify product guarantees

The change follows legislation adopted in 2024; this is the start of its application, rather than a law announced this weekend.

Shops selling goods, including online retailers, must display a common notice explaining the existing legal guarantee. EU protection generally lasts at least two years, with longer periods in some countries. The notice makes those rights more visible; it does not create a new two-year warranty.

A separate GARAN label identifies a producer's voluntary durability guarantee lasting more than two years, covering the whole product and provided at no additional cost. Offering that guarantee remains voluntary. Once a producer supplies the relevant information, the seller must display the label for the covered product. A promise about one component alone does not qualify.

The rules also restrict generic environmental claims unless recognised excellent environmental performance supports them. Sustainability labels need a qualifying certification scheme or establishment by a public authority. Claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive greenhouse-gas impact cannot rest on carbon offsets.

These obligations reach existing stock. The Commission's September guidance describes ways to correct unsuitable packaging claims, including stickers or information near affected goods. National authorities and courts enforce the rules and can consider the circumstances of an individual case. An application date does not mean every shop display has already changed.

For a purchase, begin with two separate checks: what protection comes from law, and what extra commitment the producer makes. The Commission's official templates and practical guide let retailers check their own displays. Read the guarantee statement before treating a large number of years as evidence of better value; the responsible company and the route to a remedy belong in that comparison.