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.