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28 UK Retailers Fix Online Returns Wording After MoneySavingExpert Probe

Public pressure plus a Trading Standards complaint drove updates across major brands.

Overview

  • MoneySavingExpert reviewed about 400 retail sites and flagged 30 for giving incorrect or incomplete online return information under UK law.
  • Twenty-eight companies have now corrected their website guidance, prompting Martin Lewis to withdraw his complaint to Trading Standards.
  • Named brands include The Range, HMV, Home Bargains, New Look, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Monsoon and Joules, with some saying they clarified wording rather than changed policy.
  • Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, online buyers have 14 days after delivery to notify a return and a further 14 days to send items back, with a 12‑month extension if rights were not disclosed.
  • Lewis warned that misleading wording can deter legitimate returns, noting some sites had carried errors for years, and no formal sanctions were reported in the coverage.