Refrigerators have no EU repairability class. Since 27 September 2026, sellers to EU consumers must show before purchase what the producer makes available on spare parts, manuals and repair restrictions (Article 6(1)(v) of Directive 2011/83/EU as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/825).
Under Regulation (EU) 2019/2019, end users must be able to get door handles, hinges, trays and baskets for at least seven years and door gaskets for ten. There is no French index for refrigerators.
At a glance
| Topic | What applies |
|---|---|
| EU repairability class | no; repair information where the producer makes it available |
| Spare parts (ecodesign) | 7 years for repairer parts and for door handles, hinges, trays and baskets; door gaskets 10 years; delivery within 15 working days (Regulation (EU) 2019/2019, since 1 March 2021) |
| Right to repair (Annex II) | yes, No. 3: refrigerating appliances |
| French index | none: refrigerators are not on the French list |
| Data sources | manufacturer request; the manufacturer’s spare parts portal. The barcode check holds no refrigerator data |
Door gaskets for ten years, thermostats for professionals
The ecodesign regulation for refrigerating appliances lists fewer parts than those for washing machines or dishwashers. End users must be able to order door handles, door hinges, trays and baskets for at least seven years after the last unit of a model, and door gaskets for ten. Thermostats, temperature sensors, circuit boards and light sources go to professional repairers only, for seven years, and the manufacturer may limit them to registered repairers. Delivery takes no more than 15 working days. Appliances with a direct sales function fall outside this regulation.
These duties fall on manufacturers, importers and authorised representatives and give your customers no claim. What counts for the product page is the manufacturer’s own statement, since only it knows when the last unit of a model is placed on the market.
What goes on the product page
A block can look like this:
Example: refrigerator KS 300 (model, years and price invented)
Repair & spare parts
- Parts for customers: door gasket until at least 2036; door handle, door hinge, trays and baskets until at least 2033
- Estimated cost: door gasket €49, tray €25; order from the manufacturer’s parts shop (link)
- Manuals: maintenance instructions, guide to replacing the door gasket (links)
- Repair restrictions: thermostat, temperature sensor, circuit board and lighting only through professional repairers
Source: manufacturer’s information, October 2026
If the documents just say “spare parts available for 10 years”, ask which parts that covers. The regulation requires ten years for the door gasket only; a manufacturer may commit to more of its own accord. Promising more than the manufacturer does would mislead customers. Spare parts information explains the five points, and spare parts periods lists every group.
Where the information comes from
France has no index for refrigerators, so the barcode check has nothing to offer here. The sources are the manufacturer’s documents and spare parts portal. Whatever is missing, the free manufacturer request asks for, covering all five points. For single products on other platforms, the HTML snippet builds the block.
With many brands, the Shopify app RepairInfoEU saves the search on the Pro plan: it suggests repair portal and spare parts shop from a directory of 49 brands, writes one request per brand, marks it as due after 14 days and records in a printable log when you asked and what came back.
Right to repair
Refrigerating appliances are No. 3 in Annex II of Directive (EU) 2024/1799. For defects outside the seller’s legal guarantee, the manufacturer must repair at the consumer’s request, within the scope of the ecodesign regulation. That rule concerns after-sales; the information on your product page comes from Directive (EU) 2024/825. Right to repair or EmpCo? sets the two side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Does a refrigerator have a repairability class on its energy label?
No. As of October 2026, only Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669 sets such a class, for smartphones and tablets; tumble dryers follow in 2027. For refrigerators, the repair information rule applies.
Must I say that the thermostat is for professionals only?
If the manufacturer tells you so, yes: repair restrictions are part of the required repair information. The regulation allows the manufacturer to restrict such parts to registered repairers.
Does the rule also apply in a physical shop?
Yes. Article 5(1)(j) of Directive 2011/83/EU requires the same information for sales that are neither distance nor off-premises contracts. Germany, for example, exempts information that is apparent from the context and everyday transactions completed on the spot.
Sources
Laws and regulations in their current version, linked to the source.
- Directive (EU) 2024/825 (empowering consumers for the green transition)EUR-Lex · EU directive · 6 Mar 2024
- Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rightsEUR-Lex · EU directive · 26 Mar 2024
- Regulation (EU) 2019/2019 (ecodesign for refrigerating appliances)EUR-Lex · EU regulation · 1 Oct 2019
- Directive (EU) 2024/1799 (promoting the repair of goods)EUR-Lex · EU directive · 13 Jun 2024
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669 (energy labelling of smartphones and slate tablets)EUR-Lex · EU regulation · 16 Jun 2023
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1353 (repairability class for tumble dryers)EUR-Lex · EU regulation · 1 Jul 2025