Guide to the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000

These Regulations originate from an EC directive and are relevant to anyone who sells goods or services to consumers under a distance selling contract.

Distance selling contracts are defined as - ‘any contract concerning goods and services concluded between a supplier and a consumer under an organised distance sales or service-provision scheme run by the supplier who, for the purpose of the contract, makes exclusive use of one or more means of distance communication up to and including the moment at which the contract is concluded.’

Methods of selling covered by the regulations include:

  • Internet or digital TV

  • Mail order and catalogue shopping

  • Telesales

  • Fax sales

Key features of the Regulations:

  • The consumer must be given clear information about the goods or services offered

  • After making a purchase the consumer must be sent confirmation

  • The consumer has a cooling-off period of 7 working days (to allow the consumer to examine the goods, as they would when buying in a shop)

  • Local Trading Standards departments and the OFT have new powers under the Regulations.

Before the contract is concluded

The seller must provide clear and comprehensible information to enable the consumer to decide whether to buy. This must include:

  • The seller’s name and, if payment in advance is required, the postal address

  • A description of the goods or services

  • The price including all taxes

  • Delivery costs if applicable

  • Arrangements for payment

  • How long the offer or price remains valid


Telephone selling

If a business uses cold calling by telephone to sell to consumers, the caller must clearly identify the business he represents and the fact that the call has a commercial purpose. This should be done at the beginning of the conversation.

Written confirmation

When an order has been made the seller must send the consumer confirmation of the prior information in writing (can be fax, or email) unless it has already been provided in writing (e.g. catalogue or advertisement). This should include information on:

  • when and how the consumer may exercise the right to cancel;

  • a postal address for contacting the seller; and

  • details of any after-sales services and guarantees

The seller must provide this information at the latest by the time that the goods are delivered or, in the case of services, before or in good time during the performance of the contract.

If the service provided has no specified end date, or is for a period of more than a year, the seller must also send details about when and how the consumer can terminate the contract.


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