A warranty reference in the terms and conditions is no longer enough. Stricter European rules on how webshops and stores inform consumers about statutory and commercial warranties have applied since 27 September 2026. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets published practical guidance on 29 October.
The statutory warranty notice is mandatory. Online, it must be prominently available before the customer buys a product, for example through a clear link in the final stages of checkout. After the purchase, the consumer must receive the notice again on a durable medium such as email.
There is also an EU GARAN label for a manufacturer's commercial durability warranty. The label applies when such a warranty lasts more than two years, covers the entire product and is free of charge. A manufacturer is not required to offer this additional warranty. If the manufacturer does provide the information, the seller must display the corresponding label at the prescribed moments.
The rules affect several systems at once. Product information may come from the supplier, while the webshop controls what customers see before purchase. The order confirmation then needs to retain and send the information. For a product with a relevant label, product data, page template and email must therefore use the same version.
Do not start with the legal text alone. Walk through the customer journey step by step and check the product page, basket, checkout, confirmation page and email. Define who updates warranty data and how you record which information was supplied with a specific order. This makes compliance demonstrable and prevents contradictory customer communication.