Withdrawal button in place: what about your other obligations?

Since 19 June 2026, the withdrawal button has been mandatory on sites selling at a distance to consumers. Many merchants got themselves in order in the final stretch. That is the right instinct, but it is also the moment to take a step back.

The button is the most visible and most recent obligation, so it is the one that has concentrated attention. It is not the only one. A CCPC inspection never stops at a single box: it looks at the seller's obligations as a whole. Here are the ones that are most often forgotten once the button is in place.

1. The statutory guarantee of conformity

The seller is liable for defects of conformity of goods for 2 years from delivery (a guarantee harmonised across the EU; in Ireland, the Consumer Rights Act 2022). Above all, you must inform the consumer of the existence of this guarantee, in your terms and conditions. It is an information obligation, and its absence is penalised. We explain it from the seller's side here: statutory guarantee of conformity.

2. Pre-contractual information

Before the customer confirms their order, you must provide them with a precise list of information: characteristics, price, your identity, the right of withdrawal, the guarantees, the mediator, etc. (harmonised by the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 6). And it is up to you to prove that you did so. The detail: pre-contractual information.

3. The consumer mediator

Every B2C business must give its customers free recourse to a consumer mediator, and display the mediator's contact details. Many sites still display a link to the European ODR platform, closed in 2025, when it is your national consumer ADR (alternative dispute resolution) body that counts. Everything is here: consumer mediator.

4. Legal notices and terms and conditions

The publisher's identity, the host, terms and conditions covering all the mandatory information for distance selling, these are the legal foundations of a shop. We have made the list: legal notices and e-commerce terms and conditions.

Why now?

Because regulatory attention on B2C e-commerce is at its highest since the withdrawal button came into force. When a compliance topic moves into the spotlight, inspections follow, and they are not limited to the topic of the moment. The merchant who has put their button in place and tidied up the rest of their compliance sleeps soundly; the one who has ticked a single box remains exposed on the others.

This article is general information and does not constitute legal advice. For the exact text, refer to the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) on EUR-Lex and to your national consumer legislation.