Brexit
Purchase of goods and services in the UK after Brexit
What happens to your two-year guarantee as ensured by EU law? If you buy a product from a British retailer now, what happens if you discover a defect after the exit date? Who can you go to for help and guidance?
The United Kingdom and the EU have entered into an agreement on their future relations. The agreement became effective on 1 January 2021. Here you will find information about your rights when you make purchases in the UK.
We regularly update our information as we gain knowledge about how the agreement impacts you as a consumer. The following applies for residents in Denmark.
If you make a purchase from a UK-based company, please note that other rules may apply as a result of Brexit and that it may take a period of time before the companies have adjusted to the UK no longer being part of the EU.
Before you make a purchase in a UK webshop, it is therefore a good idea to check whether, for example, fees, delivery costs etc. are added to the price.
What does Brexit mean to the right of cancellation for purchases made in UK webshops after 1 January 2021?
If the company markets itself to Danes, which can be seen, for example, by the language being Danish and payment being possible in Danish kroner, Danish law will apply, and you will have two weeks’ right of cancellation from when you receive the item.
If the company does not market itself to Danes, you will also have two weeks’ right of cancellation under British law. However, the British Government may change this at some point after Brexit.
What does Brexit mean to broken items bought in the UK?
I bought the item before 1 January 2021:
You have a minimum two-year right to complain about items you have bought in the UK before 1 January 2021. This means that the seller is obliged to solve the problem if the item turns out to be defective at the time of purchase.
In the UK, the right to complain currently extends beyond the two-year period which is the minimum limit in the EU. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the right to complain is valid for six years and for five years in Scotland. However, the British Government may freely change this in future.
I bought the item after 1 January 2021:
If you have bought a defective item in the UK after 1 January 2021, your rights will depend on whether the company markets itself to Danes.
- If the company markets itself to Danes, for example if the language is Danish and you can pay in Danish kroner, Danish law will apply. You will thus have a two-year right to complain if the item is defective.
- If the company does not market itself to Danes, British law will apply. In the UK, the right to complain currently extends beyond the two-year period which is the minimum limit in the EU. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the right to complain is valid for six years and for five years in Scotland. However, the British Government may freely change this in future.
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