Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Changes in EU regulations

Changes in regulations within the EU where we manufacture our products means the way we ship our products to and from the EU has had to change to comply with the new legislation.

What does this mean for you?

This means that if you are not based in one of the following countries then you will no longer be able to place any orders on our website from 1st October 2021.

  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Canada
  • France
  • Germany
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Ireland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Switzerland

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I used to be able to purchase – what’s happened?

A: The changes to our e-commerce websites are due to changes in regulations within the EU where we manufacture our products. This means that the way we ship our products to and from the EU has had to change to comply with the new legalisation.
While we know this will affect our customers across the world, we are confident that you will still be able to purchase Winsor & Newton products, but where you buy our products from may change. We apologise for the disruption to affected customers and artists.

 

Q: What date will this take effect from?

A: Our e-commerce websites will change over from the 1st of October 2021.

 

 

Q: Some products look slightly different to the product I’m used to seeing. The metal/plastic tubes are over-labelled or have different labels and I want to know if it’s a genuine product. 

A: A new EU regulation states that certain products must be labelled specifically from now on. This applies to all products containing titanium dioxide (white pigment) as well as products containing a particular preservative, so-called biocides. In order to accommodate the required information, a peel and reveal label has been introduced on some packaging, which can also be printed on the reverse side to show more information. 

 

 

Q: Has the formulation changed? 

A: The product inside of the jars (tubes, pots etc.) remains the same quality. Our brands decided not to change any recipe because it would have a significant impact on the performance of the paints. E. g. a water-based paint without biocides would get mouldy very soon after production. And titanium dioxide is still the best whitening agent for paints and delivers high coverage and opacity. 

 

 

Q: What concerns do I have if I use the product with new warnings on the packaging? 

A: Actually, nothing that would not have had to be considered before. Biocide can cause allergic reactions if the user is sensitive to these substances. Like many other paints, titanium dioxide pigment-based paints should not be sprayed. The white pigment is suspected of being linked to the development of cancer when inhaled. Using the products according to their purpose therefore does not involve a high risk. For further details, please read the product label or navigate to the documents we link in the section “What are these new regulations?” 

 

 

Q: If the content of the product has not changed, why does it have a new product code and barcode? 

A: As different regions have different legal requirements, there are several market-specific labels for one and the same product. This ensures that we can make our goods available in more countries. To be able to distinguish between these different versions of the same product, we had to assign new numbers (item code and barcode). We apologise for the inconvenience. If you have any difficulties finding your favourite product, please contact your local commercial representative or our customer support. 

 

 

Q: Why do I still get the same product in local shops that I have always bought in the past? 

A: This does not necessarily mean that the product is outdated. We are still allowed to sell already manufactured products with the old label. Only newly filled colours are subject to the new regulations. 

 

 

 

Q: The colour included in a set I bought is not available in my region. How can I restock this colour? 

A: Sets could include loose colours of a different region. Most likely you can restock every colour separately, but the product code could be different. Its best to check our unique colour codes to ensure you buy the right colour. As an example, Titanium White is always coded with a 644 on the product. As long as you pay attention to this the colour of a particular range matches in formula. 

 

 

 

Q: I am used to the last three digits of a product code referring to the colour. Some new numbers seem to deviate from this system. How can I make sure I am buying the right colour? Thus, which new product resembles the old one? 

A: Most new product numbers start with 88…. If you see a single colour with such a prefix, you can see the previous three-digit colour code in brackets after the product code. These three digits are not part of the official product ID but refer to the exact colour. E.g. Previous number: 1314242 vs. newly assigned number 8840356 [242]. The 242 stands for Flake White Hue. Colour numbers are also used on our original tint cards you might see in stores and on some labels at the retail fixture as well. 

 

 

Q: I can no longer buy Winsor & Newton products from winsornewton.com – where can I buy your products now?

A: You can find your nearest Winsor & Newton stockist on our Store Locator here: https://www.winsornewton.com/store-locator/. If you require any help and support in locating your nearest store, you can also contact our consumer care team at You can always contact us via our contact form here https://www.winsornewton.com/contact-us/. We value your custom.

 

 

Q: What are these new regulations? Where can I read more about them?

A: There are a number of regulations that have affected Winsor & Newton, and we do encourage you to read them. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any legal advice on the regulations.
Titanium Dioxide TiO2 (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008) more information here
Biocides (CLP (Regulation (EC) No 1272/200) – more information here
BPR – Biocide Product Regulation- (Regulation (EU) ) 528/2012) – more information here

For more information on EU regulations, please visit europa.eu

 

 

 

Q: I used to be able to purchase from winsornewton.com, but can no longer do this, where are my previous orders and account information?

A: If you used to be able to purchase on winsornewton.com but do not have the option to from 1 October 2021, you will need to go to www.winsornewton.com/row to log into your account. You will not be able to purchase from our website unless the delivery address is in one of the countries listed below:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • (Malta)
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Canada