New duties for shops, marketplaces and private labels
Selling online and in stores means dealing with consumer law, product safety, packaging rules and platform rules in the markets you sell into. COBACK reads new publications every day and checks them against your markets, channels, private labels and sites.
Topics and rules
What is changing, who in the company works with it and which legal acts are behind it.
Consumer law in online retail
Since 19 June 2026, businesses must offer an electronic withdrawal function for distance contracts concluded through a website or app, in Germany under section 356a of the Civil Code. For sales contracts concluded from 31 July 2026, the limitation period for defect claims is extended once by twelve months where a defect is remedied by repair. In the UK, the CMA has been able to fine breaches of consumer law directly since April 2025, up to 10 percent of global turnover. E-commerce, customer service and legal are affected.
Examples
- Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and section 356a German Civil Code (BGB)
- Right to Repair Directive (EU) 2024/1799, implemented by BGBl. 2026 I No. 212
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (United Kingdom)
Environmental claims and labels
Since 27 September 2026, the rules of Directive (EU) 2024/825 have applied, in Germany through the third amendment to the Act against Unfair Competition: generic environmental claims such as “eco-friendly” are allowed only where the trader can show recognised excellent environmental performance, and claims that a product is climate neutral because of offsetting are banned. Sustainability labels must be based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities. Marketing, product management and private label buying are affected.
Examples
- Directive (EU) 2024/825 (empowering consumers for the green transition)
- Third Act amending the German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG), BGBl. 2026 I No. 43
Product safety
The General Product Safety Regulation has applied to every sales channel since 13 December 2024: a product may be placed on the market only if an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for it, and online marketplaces must register with Safety Gate. The new Toy Safety Regulation replaces the Toy Safety Directive from 1 August 2030 and introduces a digital product passport. Quality assurance, buying and the private label team are affected.
Examples
- General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR)
- Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020
- Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509
Platforms, marketplaces and reviews
Marketplace operators must obtain, check and display the contact details of business sellers under the Digital Services Act and report sellers' income to tax authorities under DAC7. In the US, the INFORM Consumers Act sets similar duties for high-volume sellers, and an FTC rule has banned fake reviews, among other practices, since October 2024. Seller onboarding, tax and marketing are affected.
Examples
- Digital Services Act, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065
- DAC7, Council Directive (EU) 2021/514, in Germany the PStTG
- INFORM Consumers Act (USA)
- FTC rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465 (USA)
Packaging and circular economy
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation has applied since 12 August 2026; in Germany it is supplemented by the Packaging Law Implementation Act, which has replaced the Packaging Act. Since 19 July 2026, large companies may no longer destroy unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear, apart from defined exceptions. By 17 April 2028, every Member State must set up extended producer responsibility for textiles and footwear. Packaging development, logistics and sustainability are affected.
Examples
- Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR)
- Packaging Law Implementation Act (Verpackungsrecht-Durchführungsgesetz, VerpackDG), BGBl. 2026 I No. 207
- Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR)
- Directive (EU) 2025/1892 amending the Waste Framework Directive
Imports, customs and supply chains
Since 1 July 2026, consignments of up to 150 euros from outside the EU are no longer duty-free; until 1 July 2028, consignments declared through the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) and postal consignments carry a duty of 3 euros per item. Under the Union Customs Code reform, which Parliament approved on 16 September 2026, online sellers and platforms from outside the EU will be treated as importers. The Deforestation Regulation applies from 30 December 2026 to large and medium-sized companies and from 30 June 2027 to micro and small ones. It covers coffee, cocoa, soy, palm oil, rubber, wood and cattle, along with certain products made from them. Buying, customs and sustainability are affected.
Examples
- Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382
- Deforestation Regulation (EU) 2023/1115
- Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 (EUDR amendment)
Accessibility
Since 28 June 2025, online shops and other e-commerce services for consumers have had to be accessible, in Germany under the Accessibility Strengthening Act. Micro-enterprises that provide services are exempt. E-commerce, the product owners for apps and customer service are affected.
Examples
- European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882
- German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG)
The path of a change
Example: climate claims on private labels
01Law database
The third amendment to the Act against Unfair Competition, implementing Directive (EU) 2024/825, is promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette (BGBl. 2026 I No. 43). It applies from 27 September 2026. COBACK picks it up in its daily run.
02Relevance
Checking the twin, COBACK finds a private label on your website advertised as “climate neutral” on the basis of offset certificates. The relevance score is 92 out of 100. The reasoning cites the rule and the product pages it relies on.
03Open questions
Whether the claim rests only on offsetting or also on the company's own reductions does not appear in the documents. COBACK asks the sustainability team. After the answer, the legal department decides the change is relevant.
04Task
COBACK creates tasks with deadlines before the rules apply: e-commerce and product management update the product pages and packaging artwork by 25 September 2026, and marketing reviews the labels in use.
Working with COBACK
Daily reading of new publications
COBACK reads new legal acts and regulator publications every day, for example from EUR-Lex, the European Commission, the US Federal Trade Commission and the US Federal Register, and checks them against your business.
Checked against markets and channels
The twin knows your companies, target markets, sales channels and private labels, partly from your website. Each publication gets a relevance score from 0 to 100 with its reasoning and sources.
Questions instead of guesses
Where a fact is missing, such as whether you sell in a country through a marketplace or your own shop, COBACK asks. A person decides whether a change is relevant.
Tasks and an optional module for private labels
Relevant changes become tasks with steps, owners and deadlines. For private labels and own imports, an optional product compliance module checks bills of materials against REACH SVHC, REACH Annex XVII, RoHS and PFAS and shows data gaps.
Frequently asked questions
We sell in several EU countries. Does COBACK read their national law as well?
COBACK reads publications from the EU and from several European countries. COBACK shows you which sources it reads in each country, and you choose the countries that matter to you. Each assessment names the jurisdiction the rule comes from.
Does COBACK check our product pages?
COBACK reads your website as part of the twin. If a new rule concerns environmental claims, for example, the reasoning can name the pages it relies on. It does not replace a legal review of your advertising.
Do we need the product compliance module?
Only if you run private labels or import yourself and want the bills of materials of your products checked against substance lists such as REACH SVHC, RoHS and PFAS. The module is optional.
Will we be notified when something new comes in?
COBACK sends no e-mails or push notifications. You find new assessments and tasks in COBACK.
