Starting on 27 September 2026, new EU rules apply to B2C online stores regarding legal and commercial guarantees. The key change is that webshops are now required to explicitly and prominently display an official guarantee notice.
You can set this up with the elements you already know, in the Editor. In this article we'll explain how.
1. The harmonized legal guarantee notice (new)
This applies to anyone selling physical goods to consumers in the EU, which includes almost every online store.
What is it?
A graphic provided by the European Commission, including a QR code, that informs customers about the legal guarantee lasting at least two years. Its design is mandatory; you may not alter or recreate it, and in online retail it must be displayed in colour.
Where can I get it?
Free of charge from the European Commission, in all EU languages: download the harmonized notice and label. A clear overview of the new obligations and practical guidelines is available here.
Where should it be placed?
The EU doesn't state a required location. What is required is that the notice is clearly visible and that your customers see it before they place an order. In its practical guidelines, the European Commission mentions a labelled link, for example "Your legal guarantee rights", in your website's header, on the product overview page, and/or on the checkout page, which when clicked on displays the graphic.
How to add it in the Webador Editor
You can combine these options. Option A is the one we recommend, as it keeps the graphic in one place. Click on an option to open more information.
Option A: a dedicated page you link to (recommended)
Create a new page containing the graphic and link to it prominently.
- Download the graphic in your language using the link above.
- In the Editor, go to Pages > Add page and name the page something like "Legal guarantee"
- Drag an Image element onto the page and upload the graphic. Choose a size that keeps the QR code easy to read.
- Link to the page somewhere that is visible everywhere, so in the menu and additionally in the footer. Use clear link text such as "Your legal guarantee rights".
- You can optionally hide the page from your website's menu, if you don't wish to have an additional menu item.
Option B: the graphic in the footer
If you'd rather display the graphic itself, you can place it in your website's footer. It will then appear on every page of your online store.
- Go to the footer in the Editor and drag an Image element into it.
- Upload the graphic and use your mobile device to ensure the QR code is still scannable (as images in the footer are often displayed quite small).
Option C: the graphic on your shop page or on individual product pages
You can also place the graphic where customers are actually looking at your products. Drag and drop an Image element, for example above or below your product overview, or onto a specific product page.
Option D: a link on the order page
To reach your customers during the ordering process, add a link to your legal guarantee page in the Remarks section of the order page.
2. The written reminder about the legal guarantee (footer)
This part isn't new. Since 13 June 2014, the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU, Article 6(1)(l)) has required online stores to give customers "a reminder of the existence of a legal guarantee of conformity for goods" before they place an order. Many websites cover this with a single sentence in the footer or in their terms and conditions.
What changes on 27 September 2026 is the format: as of that date, the same information must also be provided with the graphic. So the written reminder doesn't replace the graphic, and the graphic doesn't replace the written reminder. Keep both.
- How to do it: Drag and drop a text element into the footer of your website.
- The advantage: Footer content is automatically shown on every single page of your online store, so the reminder is visible to your customers everywhere.
- Example text: "Statutory liability for defects applies."
Do any other regulations apply to my online store?
The below rules only apply in specific situations. Review the ones that match your business.
3. The GARAN label, if a manufacturer guarantee runs longer than two years
Alongside the legal guarantee notice there is a second item, the GARAN label. It only concerns your business if a manufacturer offers a free durability guarantee of more than two years covering the entire product.
- If that applies to individual products, the label should be placed next to those products only. You can obtain it from the same European Commission page linked above, and add it to the relevant product page(s) using an Image element.
- If you don't offer manufacturer guarantees lasting longer than two years, you don't need this label.
4. Advertising a specific guarantee, for example "5-year manufacturer's guarantee"
If you actively advertise a specific guarantee in your shop, a general notice in the footer is not enough. In that case the law requires the conditions to appear alongside the product.
- How to do it: Include the exact guarantee conditions in the product description for the item in question.
- Important: You must also state that the buyer's legal guarantee rights are not limited by this guarantee.
5. Your terms and conditions
Regardless of any notices shown with a product or in the footer, the detailed legal information regarding liability for defects and any guarantees must be included in your legally compliant terms and conditions.
How to do it: Make sure your terms and conditions page is up-to-date and accessible from anywhere on your website, ideally via a link in the footer.
⚠️ Important note about legal advice
Webador is not permitted to provide legal advice. This article is intended solely as technical guidance for implementing this using our website builder. We are not able to assess whether your specific setup meets the legal requirements.
For the exact wording and legally correct placement of the texts and the graphic in your case, please refer to the European Commission's practical guidelines, or contact your legal advisor or your provider of legal texts.
Questions about the technical setup?
Feel free to contact us if you need support setting up the elements mentioned above in your online store.
Related to