Shoppers in Spain looking to buy a new phone, television, or appliance this weekend may notice a change before reaching the checkout. From Sunday, September 27, shops and online retailers across the European Union must introduce new information designed to make it clearer what protection consumers actually receive when something they buy goes wrong. The update introduces a standard EU guarantee notice and a new GARAN label to help buyers distinguish between legal rights and additional manufacturer offers.
New guarantee notice in stores and online
From September 27, sellers of consumer goods in the EU must display a harmonised notice explaining the main elements of the legal guarantee of conformity. According to the Your Europe website of the European Commission, the sign informs buyers that they enjoy a minimum two-year legal guarantee throughout the EU. In physical shops, the notice must be displayed prominently and be at least A4 size. It can appear in colour or black and white. For purchases made through an online interface, the notice must appear in colour and be presented prominently before the consumer is bound by the contract. The label also contains a QR code that links shoppers to additional details on their guarantee rights.
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While the EU sets a two-year guarantee as a floor, it does not supersede the rules already in force nationally. In Spain, shoppers typically benefit from a longer term. Effective 1 January 2022, Spain raised the statutory guarantee for consumer items from two years up to three years. The European Consumer Centre in Spain confirms that the three-year period applies to consumer goods bought in the country. For second-hand goods purchased from a professional seller, the buyer and seller can agree to a shorter period, although it cannot be less than one year. The new EU notice therefore does not reduce Spain’s existing three-year protection.
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What the GARAN label means
The GARAN mark, which is a distinct label, signals commercial durability guarantees that manufacturers provide free of charge. Such guarantees need to apply to the whole item, not just separate parts. The aim is to enable consumers to tell apart a supplemental manufacturer guarantee from the statutory guarantee that comes automatically with any purchase.
That distinction is important because the absence of a GARAN label does not mean consumers have no guarantee rights. Statutory guarantees remain in force on their own, and additional commercial guarantees may also be enforceable under domestic consumer legislation. Anyone purchasing a phone, TV, appliance or similar item in Spain after 27 September should note that the legal guarantee stands apart from any marketing-driven warranty offers. The freshly introduced notices together with the GARAN label aim to clarify this separation for shoppers prior to finalising a sale.