📦 Can I return a purchase within 14 days and get a refund in Luxembourg?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes for a distance purchase, no for an in-store purchase — and this is where almost everyone gets it wrong. The Consumer Code (articles L.222-9 and following) gives the consumer 14 calendar days to withdraw from a contract concluded at a distance (online, by phone) or off-premises (doorstep selling), with no reason to give. The period runs from receipt of the goods, and the seller must refund within 14 days of the withdrawal decision, including standard delivery costs. If the trader failed to inform you of this right, the period is extended by up to 12 months. The myth: "I always have 14 days to bring something back" — false; in a physical shop there is no legal right of withdrawal, and a return there is only a commercial gesture by the seller.

📋 The rules

14 days at a distance: for an online, phone or off-premises purchase, the consumer has 14 calendar days to withdraw, with no reason and no penalty.
Start of the period: the clock runs from receipt of the goods (or conclusion of the contract for a service), not from the order.
Refund within 14 days: after withdrawal, the seller refunds the price and standard delivery within 14 days, but may wait for the goods to come back.
No information = 12 months: if the seller did not inform you of the withdrawal right, the 14-day period is extended by 12 months.
No legal return in-store: an in-shop purchase opens no right of withdrawal; a return depends solely on the shop's commercial policy.

🔓 Exceptions

Personalised and perishable goods: made-to-measure, personalised or quickly perishable items are excluded from the right of withdrawal.
Hygiene and seals: products unsealed for hygiene reasons (cosmetics, underwear) and opened CDs, DVDs or software can no longer be returned.
Digital content and fixed dates: digital content downloaded with your express consent, or a service on a fixed date (hotel, transport, car rental), falls outside the right of withdrawal.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Here the risk falls mainly on the seller. A trader who refuses a refund that is due or drags on beyond the 14 days exposes himself to a complaint, to intervention by the Consumer Protection Directorate or the Luxembourg Consumers' Union, and to a claim before the justice of the peace. Above all, a seller who failed to inform the buyer of the withdrawal right sees that period jump from 14 days to 12 months: he will then have to take the goods back far longer than he expected. A clause purporting to make the consumer waive the withdrawal right is void and of no effect. On the consumer's side, note that you usually bear the return costs, and any loss of value from handling the goods beyond what is necessary may be deducted from the refund. And wrongly assuming an in-store purchase is returnable can cost you the price of the item if the shop refuses.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Do I have 14 days to return something bought in a shop?

No, this is the most common mistake: the 14-day right of withdrawal applies only to distance or off-premises purchases, not in a physical shop. In-store, an exchange or refund is purely a matter of the seller's commercial policy, which he remains free to refuse.

When do the 14 days start?

For the sale of goods, the 14 calendar days start on the day you physically receive the item, not the day you order it. For a service, the period runs from the conclusion of the contract, and you do not have to give any reason to withdraw.

Must the seller refund my delivery costs?

Yes, the refund covers the price of the goods and the standard delivery costs you paid on the way out. However, any surcharge for express delivery stays with you, as do, in general, the costs of sending the parcel back to the seller.

What if the website never told me about the withdrawal right?

If the trader failed to inform you of your right of withdrawal, the 14-day period is automatically extended by up to 12 months. As soon as he finally provides that information, a fresh 14-day period starts running from that moment.

Can I waive my right of withdrawal by ticking a box?

No, any clause by which the consumer waives the right of withdrawal in advance is deemed void and has no effect. Certain goods are nonetheless excluded by law, such as personalised items or products unsealed for hygiene reasons.

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