Shopping in the UK
Post-Brexit: What are my consumer rights?
If you buy from a business outside the EU, including the UK, you may not have the same consumer rights. This means it is important that before you buy, you read the terms and conditions, particularly around delivery and returns.
Good to know
Irrespective of whether the website address is .ie you need to check where a business is based. You can check the terms and conditions, privacy policy or ‘contact us’ part of the website to find the physical address of the business. EU-registered businesses are required to provided details, including their address, so if you can’t find the address it is most likely they are not an EU-based business.
You may have to pay taxes and duties such as customs duty and VAT when you buy from a UK business (except Northern Ireland). It is important therefore that before you buy from a non-EU website that you check if the business has included any Irish VAT or customs charges in the final price. More information is available on Revenue’s website.
You are not automatically entitled to the 14 day cancellation period that you have under EU law, but most UK businesses selling online provide a returns policy. Make sure to read the business’s terms and conditions to find out whether they accept returns, what the time frames are, and information about the process, including any relevant costs.
