Appliance (1) for applying labels (5) to receptacles (10), which comprises a transport device (2) that transports the receptacles (10) to be labelled along a predefined transport path (T), and comprises a first pressing-on unit (6) that presses the labels (5) onto an outer wall of the receptacles (10), the first pressing-on unit (6) having a brush device (8) having a multiplicity of bristles (9) that extend in the direction of the receptacles (10). According to the invention, the first pressing-on unit (6), at least in a partial region (6a) of the first pressing-on unit (6), is shorter, in the longitudinal direction (L) of the receptacles (10), than the label (5) to be applied.