White Label Agreement Spain (Acuerdo de Marca Blanca)

A White Label Agreement Spain (Acuerdo de Marca Blanca) is a commercial contract governed by Código Civil Article 1255 — the principle of freedom of contract (autonomía de la voluntad) — under which a manufacturer (fabricante) or service provider (prestador de servicios) agrees to produce goods or services that the purchaser (distribuidor or cliente de marca blanca) then markets and sells under the purchaser's own brand name, trademarks, and packaging, without reference to the actual manufacturer. White label arrangements in Spain span sectors including food and beverage (productos de marca propia de distribuidores), software and SaaS platforms, financial services, cosmetics, pharmaceutical OTC products, electronics, and professional services such as accountancy or legal research.

The legal framework for white label agreements in Spain combines several statutes. Freedom of contract under Article 1255 of the Código Civil is the foundational principle — parties may agree to any commercial terms not contrary to law, morality, or public order. Ley 17/2001, de 7 de diciembre, de Marcas governs the trademark aspects — the white label purchaser's right to apply its own registered trademarks to the manufactured goods; the manufacturer's obligation not to use those trademarks beyond the agreement; and the trademark quality control obligations to prevent the brand becoming deceptive under Article 48 of Ley 17/2001. Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996 (Ley de Propiedad Intelectual) and Ley 24/2015 de Patentes govern the IP rights in the underlying product formulations, software, and processes. Article 6 of Ley 24/2015 defines patent ownership, while Article 59 governs licence agreements for patented processes used in white label manufacturing.

White label arrangements in Spain must be distinguished from franchise agreements under Article 62 of Ley 7/1996 de Ordenación del Comercio Minorista (LOCM) and Real Decreto 201/2010, de 26 de febrero, por el que se regula el ejercicio de la actividad comercial en régimen de franquicia — a franchise requires disclosure in the Registro de Franquiciadores, whereas a true white label supply agreement does not, provided the arrangement does not include a system of commercial methods, know-how, and ongoing support characteristic of a franchise.

For white label food and beverage products, the Reglamento (UE) 1169/2011 sobre información alimentaria facilitada al consumidor applies — the label applied by the white label purchaser must include the producer's or packager's details (nombre y dirección del operador de la empresa alimentaria). Article 8 of Regulation 1169/2011 designates the food business operator responsible for food information, which in white label arrangements is the purchaser who markets the product under its own brand. Article 26 of Regulation 1169/2011 governs mandatory country-of-origin labelling for meat, honey, olive oil, and fresh fruit.

IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido) under Ley 37/1992 applies to white label supply transactions at standard rates — 21% for general goods and services, 10% for certain food products under Article 91 of Ley 37/1992, and 4% for basic foods under Article 91.Dos.1. The manufacturer issues IVA invoices to the purchaser (distributor) for the supply of white label goods; the purchaser then sells under its own brand to consumers, charging IVA on retail sales.

Competition law considerations under Ley 15/2007 de Defensa de la Competencia and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) apply to exclusive supply arrangements, minimum purchase obligations, and territorial restrictions in white label agreements — particularly where market shares exceed the safe harbour thresholds of EU Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (EU) 2022/720. Article 4 of Regulation 2022/720 lists the hardcore restrictions that remove the benefit of the block exemption entirely.

The Código de Comercio of 22 August 1885 governs the commercial dimension of white label supply relationships between merchants (comerciantes), supplementing the Código Civil provisions on obligations and contracts. Where a white label manufacturer is a Sociedad Anónima (SA) or Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (SL), the Ley de Sociedades de Capital (Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2010, de 2 de julio — LSC) governs its corporate capacity to enter the agreement, and the Registro Mercantil records must confirm the signatory's authority. Article 18 of Ley 27/2014 (Ley de Impuesto sobre Sociedades) governs transfer pricing rules where the manufacturer and purchaser are related parties. The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) monitors market conditions and may investigate white label supply arrangements that raise competition concerns in concentrated retail sectors.

A White Label Agreement Spain is needed when a Spanish retailer, distributor, or brand owner wants to offer products under their own brand name without operating a manufacturing facility — contracting a third-party manufacturer to produce the goods according to specified formulations, standards, and packaging, and marketing them as the retailer's own-label (marca propia or marca del distribuidor) product line.

A white label agreement is required when a Spanish software company wants to resell a technology platform — accounting software, HR system, or CRM application — developed by a third-party supplier under the reseller's own brand name and interface, giving end customers the impression of a proprietary product. The agreement governs the licence of the platform, the customisation scope, the pricing, and the obligations of each party.

A White Label Agreement Spain is needed when a financial services company wants to offer payment processing, insurance products, or investment products manufactured by a regulated third party under the financial company's own brand — subject to the regulatory requirements of the Banco de España, Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones (DGSFP), or Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) for the specific product category. Article 5 of Ley 22/2007 de Comercialización a Distancia de Servicios Financieros governs information obligations for white label financial products sold online.

A white label agreement is required when a Spanish pharmacy chain (cadena de farmacias) or cosmetics retailer wants to offer OTC pharmaceutical products or cosmetics under its own brand, manufactured by a third-party laboratory — the agreement must address compliance with Article 15 of Real Decreto 1345/2007 (medicamentos de uso humano) and Article 10 of Reglamento (CE) 1223/2009 (productos cosméticos) respectively. Article 3 of Reglamento (CE) 1223/2009 establishes the responsible person concept — in white label cosmetics, the purchaser who markets the product bears the regulatory obligations of the responsible person before the Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS).

A White Label Agreement Spain is also needed when a Spanish food distributor (distribuidora alimentaria) contracts a manufacturer to produce private-label (marca blanca) grocery products for its retail network — the agreement governs food safety compliance under Reglamento (CE) 852/2004 (higiene de los alimentos), labelling under Reglamento (UE) 1169/2011, and minimum annual purchase volumes.

A white label agreement is required when an online marketplace or e-commerce platform operator in Spain contracts third-party fulfilment and logistics services branded under the platform's name — the agreement must address consumer protection obligations under Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2007 (Ley General para la Defensa de los Consumidores y Usuarios — LGDCU) and the distance selling provisions of Ley 34/2002 de Servicios de la Sociedad de la Información (LSSI).

A White Label Agreement Spain is needed when a professional services firm — an accountancy practice, legal research provider, or management consultancy — wishes to offer third-party specialist services to its clients under the firm's own brand, with the underlying provider operating invisibly. The agreement must address data confidentiality obligations under Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 (RGPD) and Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) where client personal data is processed by the underlying supplier.

A valid White Label Agreement Spain under Código Civil art. 1255 and Ley 17/2001 de Marcas must contain the following essential elements to be effective and commercially strong.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, NIF/CIF, registered address, and Registro Mercantil data of the manufacturer (fabricante or proveedor de marca blanca) and the purchaser/distributor (distribuidor or cliente de marca blanca). If either party is a foreign entity, registered agent details in Spain must be provided.

Description of Products or Services: A precise technical specification of the white label goods or services — product formulas, software specifications, service standards, quality grades, and packaging requirements. For food products, compliance with Reglamento (UE) 1169/2011 labelling requirements must be specified. Annexes containing detailed technical specifications (fichas técnicas) are standard in white label agreements.

Branding and Intellectual Property Rights: The purchaser grants the manufacturer a limited licence to use the purchaser's trademarks solely for the purpose of manufacturing and packaging the white label goods under this agreement. The manufacturer retains ownership of all underlying IP — formulations, processes, patents, and know-how. The purchaser owns all IP in its own brand materials provided to the manufacturer. A clear IP ownership schedule (attached as Annex) is recommended, referencing specific OEPM registration numbers where the purchaser's marks are registered under Article 10 of Ley 17/2001. Article 39 of Ley 17/2001 governs trademark licences and the licensor's right to quality control over goods manufactured under the mark.

Exclusivity and Territory: Whether the manufacturer is restricted from producing the same or similar products under any other brand within the agreed territory — a non-exclusive arrangement allows the manufacturer to supply other customers with similar products; an exclusive arrangement restricts this, justifying higher minimum purchase commitments. Competition law limits under Article 1 of Ley 15/2007 and Article 5 of EU Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (EU) 2022/720 must be observed for exclusivity provisions. The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) supervises compliance with vertical restraints in supply agreements.

Minimum Purchase Obligations (Compromisos de Compra Mínima): Annual minimum order volumes (volúmenes mínimos de pedido anual) and consequences for failure to meet minimums — loss of exclusivity, price adjustments, or termination rights. Pricing schedules (tarifas de precios) including IVA treatment under Ley 37/1992 LIVA must be attached. Graduated purchase commitments increasing over the agreement term are standard in long-term white label supply contracts registered before the Registro Mercantil.

Quality Control and Audits: The purchaser's right to inspect manufacturing facilities, review quality control processes, and approve finished product samples. The manufacturer's obligation to maintain ISO 9001 or sector-specific quality certifications. Product recall procedures and liability allocation for product defects under Article 5 of Ley 22/1994 de Responsabilidad por Productos Defectuosos (transposing EU Product Liability Directive 85/374/EEC) must be addressed. Article 10 of Ley 22/1994 sets the limitation period for product liability claims at three years from the date the injured person became aware of the damage, the defect, and the identity of the producer. The Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) enforces food safety standards through inspections by the Comunidades Autónomas.

Confidentiality: Mutual confidentiality obligations covering the purchaser's brand strategy, product formulations, sales data, and pricing — to survive termination for at least five years. Trade secrets are separately protected under Article 2 of Ley 1/2019 de Secretos Empresariales, which transposes EU Directive 2016/943 and defines a trade secret as information that is secret, has commercial value, and has been subject to reasonable steps to keep it secret.

Regulatory Compliance: Each party's obligations regarding regulatory compliance for the specific product category — food safety under Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) regulations, cosmetic product notifications in CPNP (Cosmetic Products Notification Portal), or pharmaceutical manufacturing authorisations (Autorización de Fabricación) from the Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS).

Term and Termination: The initial agreement term and renewal provisions. Grounds for early termination — non-payment, persistent quality failures, regulatory violations, insolvency (concurso de acreedores under Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2020, Ley Concursal), and change of control. Post-termination obligations — return of brand materials, destruction of packaging, and transition assistance to a replacement manufacturer.

Dispute Resolution and Governing Law: Designation of Spanish law (Código Civil, Código de Comercio) as the governing law. The parties may elect to resolve disputes through the Corte Española de Arbitraje (Cámara de Comercio de España) under institutional arbitration rules, or through the Juzgados de lo Mercantil with territorial jurisdiction over the manufacturer's or purchaser's registered address. Article 9 of Ley 60/2003 de Arbitraje governs the validity of arbitration clauses in commercial agreements under Spanish law.

Forms-legal.com provides this White Label Agreement Spain template as a practical starting point for businesses operating in Spain's manufacturing, retail, software, and professional services sectors. Every white label arrangement should be reviewed by a qualified abogado especialista in contract and IP law before execution to address product liability, regulatory compliance, and competition law risks specific to the product sector and market.