Your rights when buying goods

Your consumer rights when buying goods

Your consumer rights are protected any time you make a purchase from a business, including in a shop, online, over the phone, or on your doorstep.

Products you buy must be of good quality and be as described when you purchased them. You should expect the product to be durable and to not have any faults. You have the right to a repair, replacement or refund if there is an issue with a product you bought.

Your consumer rights are the same whether you buy something new or second-hand, or whether you buy at full price or during a sale. Be aware that your consumer rights only apply when you buy from a business. They do not apply if you buy from a private individual, so use caution if you are buying privately, e.g. buying a used car from a private seller.

Faults due to misuse, accidental damage or normal wear and tear are not covered by consumer law. If you accidently damage a product or misuse goods, you will be responsible. If you buy something online, over the phone or on your doorstep, you have extra protections. A 14-day cooling off period applies to most online and phone purchases. Find out more on our  buying online page. If you buy on your doorstep from a business calling to your home (and you have not arranged the visit), an even longer 30-day cooling off period applies. More information is available on our buying online page.

What laws protect you as a consumer in Ireland?

In Ireland, the Consumer Rights Act 2022 is the main legislation that sets out consumer rights when buying goods or services.

What are ‘goods’?

Under the Consumer Rights Act, the term ‘goods’ includes any physical product or item you can buy that you can move from one place to another. It does not include buying property such as land, houses or apartments. We refer to ‘goods’ as ‘products’ or ‘items’, as these are the terms consumers usually use to refer to goods.

What is a sales contract?

When you pay for your goods, or agree to pay at a future date, you are entering a contract with the business. The goods you buy must ‘conform to’ the sales contract. In other words, the goods must meet the standards a consumer would generally expect and match any specific requirements that you agreed with the business.

What does ‘non-conformity’ mean?

Non-conformity means that the goods you purchased do not ‘conform’ to the sales contract. In practical terms this mean the item you bought falls short of what you should expect from this type of item, or is not what was agreed when you bought it.

What is the short term right to cancel?

If an item you have bought is faulty or otherwise does not meet the terms of the sales contract - and it’s less than 30 days since you received it – you have a short-term right to terminate or cancel the sales contract and receive a refund. You must tell the business you are cancelling your contract before the 30-day period ends. You don’t need to do this in writing but it is a good idea, just in case you need to take things further.

If you buy something in a shop and take it away with you, the 30-day period starts immediately. If you order something for delivery, the 30 day period starts when you receive the item. If the goods were installed, the 30 days run from when the installation was completed.

The short-term right to cancel does not apply to things that are expected to last for a shorter period than 30 days, like fresh food or flowers. It also doesn’t apply if you want to return something only because you changed your mind about it.

What is the “final right to terminate” ?

If the product you have purchased does not meet the standards you can normally expect, you have the right to ‘terminate’ or cancel the sales contract you made with the business in specific situations. These situations include:

• Where the business can’t or won’t repair or replace the product
• Where the fault or issue with the product is serious enough to justify the termination of the contract

The “final right to terminate” is separate from the “short-term” right to cancel that applies for the first 30 days.

You can learn more about what the standards you should expect for products on our refunds page, and your rights when you have a faulty product here – Faulty goods.

What about goods purchased before the Consumer Rights Act came in?

If you bought goods in Ireland before 28 November 2022, different consumer laws apply. You can learn more here Goods bought before the consumer rights act.

Can you change your mind about an item you purchased in store?

Businesses do not have to offer a refund or exchange if you change your mind about a product after buying it instore. However, many businesses do offer refunds or exchanges for a limited time period as part of their terms and conditions. Check with the store for any exchange policy details before purchasing. If a business offers an exchange period then this must be honoured. Learn more – Changing your mind.

When are you entitled to a refund?

You may be entitled to a refund if:

• You bought an item online and it is within 14 days of when you received it
• Within 30 days of buying or receiving an item that is faulty or not as described. Learn more – faulty goods
• The product you ordered is not delivered

Find out more refund and your consumer rights on our refunds page.

Do consumer rights apply to goods purchased internationally?

You have strong consumer rights if you buy from a business in the EU. You can learn more on our buying in the EU page. For other purchases, you can find information on the buying outside the EU page.

What information must the business give you when you are making a purchase?

As a consumer, you have the right to clear information about the product you are purchasing, so you can make an informed decision.

• The business must provide details about the product, if they aren’t obvious from the packaging.
• The total price must be clearly displayed, and it must include VAT. Any other charges such as the cost of delivery that may apply must also be clear. Find out more about pricing rules on our pricing page. 
• If you buy online, you are entitled to clear information about the business and your right to change your mind.

Next steps to resolve your consumer rights issue

• Contact the business informally first, explain the problem and try to work it out.
• Keep a record of all contact and communications in case you need to escalate your complaint later.
• If the problem is not resolved, make a formal written complaint to the business. You can use the CCPC complaint letter templates which outline your consumer rights to help you.
• If you paid by card, you may have the option to request a chargeback from your bank or financial services provider.
• If your claim is for €2,000 or less, you can use the small claims procedure.
• If the problem is not easily resolved, we encourage you to also report the business to the CCPC. Your report will inform our advocacy and enforcement activities.
• For more guidance, please visit our how to resolve an issue section.