The EU Commission has presented a new EU-wide notice and label for products sold on the EU market, with the aim of better informing consumers of their rights and to introduce uniform product labelling.
The labels will empower consumers to make informed choices in favour of more durable products, stimulate demand for circular solutions, and ultimately play a key role in advancing the circular economy, says the Commission.
The notice and label are implementing measures of the Directive on empowering consumers for the green transition, which will be applicable as of next year.
The mandatory notice is designed to explain consumers’ legal guarantee rights and to provide practical guidance for addressing non-conforming products.
It must be clearly displayed in all EU retail outlets, both online and offline.
In addition, a new product label is introduced for businesses that voluntarily offer a durability guarantee beyond the standard two-year period, covering the entire product at no extra cost to the consumer.
European consumers are entitled to a minimum two-year legal guarantee on products, in line with EU consumer protection law. This guarantee requires sellers to provide, free of charge, a repair or replacement if, for example, a product does not perform as expected.
In certain circumstances, consumers may also be entitled to a price reduction or a full refund.
Member States must transpose the Directive into national law by 27 March 2026. Once the Directive applies, from 27 September 2026, consumers throughout the EU will begin to see the notice and label in practice.
