This page covers two things that often get mixed up: your right to change your mind about something you bought at a distance, which comes from the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, and your protection against unfair contract terms, which is Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Changing your mind (cooling-off)
Buy online, by phone or away from a shop, and you usually get a 14-day cooling-off period to cancel for any reason. For goods it runs from the day after you receive the item; for services and digital content, from the day the contract is made. Once you’ve cancelled you have another 14 days to return the goods, and the trader must refund you, including standard delivery. Some things are exempt — perishable goods, personalised or custom-made items, sealed CDs/DVDs/software once opened, hygiene-sealed items once unsealed, and purchases from a private seller. And there’s no automatic right to change your mind for something bought in a shop — in-store returns of non-faulty goods are the retailer’s goodwill, not a legal right.
Unfair contract terms
Separately, the Consumer Rights Act protects you from unfair terms. A term is unfair if, against the requirement of good faith, it creates a significant imbalance to your disadvantage — and an unfair term isn’t binding on you. Key terms like the price and the main subject matter have to be transparent and prominent, and some terms are always treated as unfair.
A worked example
You order a sofa online and change your mind two days after it arrives. Under the cooling-off rules you can cancel within 14 days and return it for a refund — even though there’s nothing wrong with it. But if you’d chosen a bespoke fabric made to order, that right wouldn’t apply.
Common questions
Is the cooling-off period part of the Consumer Rights Act?
No — it comes from the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. The Act covers unfair terms.
Can a shop refuse a refund if I’ve just changed my mind in-store?
For non-faulty goods, yes — in-store returns are goodwill. Faulty goods are different: see refunds, repairs and replacements.
What to do next
If a trader ignores a valid cancellation, or leans on a term that looks unfair, see Legal claims and check them in the Complaints Directory.
Sources
Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013; Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 2 (ss. 61–76, unfair terms) — legislation.gov.uk; Citizens Advice, “Changing your mind about something you’ve bought”. Reviewed: 3 September 2026.