Returning something to a Spanish shop when you changed your mind

Key rules

• Change of mind: Spain gives you no general right to return goods bought in a shop just because you changed your mind.
• Shop promises: A return or exchange policy the shop advertises or promises binds the shop.
• Vale: For a voluntary return, a shop may offer a vale instead of money, and it must state how long it lasts.
• Faulty or online: Faulty goods and online purchases carry legal rights, so a shop cannot force a vale on you.

Can you return something just because you changed your mind?

No. Spain has no general right to return goods bought in a physical shop because you changed your mind. A return, an exchange, a vale or a gift receipt is a favour the shop chooses to offer. Many shops offer one anyway, but you cannot demand it.

When the shop's policy does bind it

A shop that advertises or promises a return or exchange policy must honour it. This covers a sign by the till, a note on the receipt, a website promise or something a member of staff told you. Whatever the shop offers is binding if it is better for you than the bare legal minimum.

So before you buy, look for the policy and keep proof of it:

• Read the back of the receipt and any signs in the shop.
• Take a photo of a sign or a web page that promises returns.
• Ask for the promise on the receipt if it was only said out loud.

If the shop breaks its own advertised policy, ask for the hoja de reclamaciones (the complaints form every shop must hold) or go to your town hall's consumer office.

Vales and gift receipts

A vale is a shop credit note. Spanish law sets no fixed validity period for it. The shop decides, and it must state the period clearly. Months to a year is common, so check the date and use it in time.

If the shop only offers a return voluntarily, it may give you a vale instead of money, on the terms it states. You can still say no, but then you may get nothing back.

A gift receipt (ticket regalo) works the same way. It is a voluntary policy. It usually lets the person who received the gift exchange it or get a vale without showing the price. Check the time limit printed on it, and keep it.

When you can insist on a refund

Two cases are different, and a shop cannot push a vale on you:

• The goods are faulty. You have legal rights to a remedy, including a refund in some cases.
• You bought online or by distance. There is a 14-day withdrawal right for these purchases, which does not apply to goods bought in a shop.

The decision block below helps you choose between insisting on a refund and accepting a vale or exchange. The questions people ask most are in the FAQ.

Practical tips

• Ask about the return policy before paying, especially for clothes and gifts.
• Keep the receipt and the tags, and leave the item in its original packaging.
• Return it quickly, as many policies run only 14 to 30 days.
• Use any vale before it expires.

Choosing between options

Can you insist on a refund, or must you accept a vale?

• Insist on a refund: You have a legal right to your money back, for example the goods are faulty or you are cancelling an online purchase. The shop cannot force a vale.

• Ask for the refund the shop advertised: The shop advertised or promised money back for a change of mind. It must honour what it promised.

• Accept a vale or exchange: You simply changed your mind in the shop and it offers a return only as a goodwill policy. The shop may give a vale on its stated terms, so check the validity date first.

Spain has no general right to return shop purchases for a change of mind. If you have a legal right or the shop promised a refund, you get money back; otherwise the shop's own stated policy decides.

Check the shop's stated vale terms and validity with the shop or your town hall's consumer office.

Frequently asked questions

Does a shop have to keep a return policy it advertises?

Yes, a shop that advertises a return or exchange policy must honour it, even if it is not in any written contract. Advertising and promotions bind the shop when they are more favourable to you. Keep the receipt, a photo of the sign or the advert, as proof.

How long is a vale valid in Spain?

The law sets no fixed validity period for a vale, so it lasts as long as the shop states, commonly several months to a year. The validity must be clearly stated. Check the date on the vale before you accept it.

Can a shop force me to take a vale instead of a refund?

No, not when you have a legal right to a refund, for example when the goods are faulty or you cancel an online purchase.