With the start of the summer sales season, the European Consumer Centre in Spain (ECC-Spain) has issued a series of recommendations aimed at safeguarding consumer rights and encouraging responsible purchasing. As it does each year, the Centre emphasizes that discounts must not result in lower product quality or serve as a justification to reduce legal guarantees. ECC-Spain reminds consumers that sale items must clearly display both the previous price and the reduced price, along with any applicable taxes, shipping costs, or other additional charges.
The Centre also highlights that the minimum legal guarantee of three years remains in force during sales, except in the case of second-hand products, where it may be reduced to one year if the retailer so specifies. Furthermore, as during the rest of the year, consumers maintain their right of withdrawal when shopping remotely—such as online, by phone or by mail. In these cases, consumers have 14 calendar days to return the product without needing to provide any justification. They are only required to cover the direct return costs, unless the seller agrees to bear them or fails to inform the consumer that they are responsible.
General Recommendations
Make a list of the products you intend to buy and set a budget.
Compare products across different shops well in advance.
Keep all documentation related to the purchase.
Online Shopping
Verify the company’s identity (name or business name, tax ID number, address, and contact details). This information is usually available in the website’s Legal Notice or Terms and Conditions.
Confirm basic product details: price, additional costs, payment methods, delivery times, withdrawal rights, and the validity period of the offer.
Ensure the website is secure by checking that the URL begins with “https”.
Always read the terms and conditions carefully.
Preferably pay by credit card and avoid bank transfers.