Who Pays Return Costs for Withdrawals in Portugal?

In short: when a consumer in Portugal withdraws from an online order, the consumer normally bears the direct cost of returning the goods — but only if you told them so clearly beforehand. If you did not, that cost falls on you as the seller. This follows the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, transposed in Portugal through Decreto-Lei 24/2014.

The disclosure condition

The rule turns on disclosure. To place the return cost on the consumer, you must state clearly, before the contract is concluded, that they will pay to send the goods back. Leave this out of your pre-contract information and you become liable for those return costs yourself. It is a small point that has a real financial effect.

What sellers still owe

Return costs are separate from your refund duty. When a consumer withdraws, you must reimburse all payments received, including the standard cost of the original delivery, within 14 days. You may withhold that refund until the goods come back, or until the consumer proves they have sent them.

Practical steps

• State clearly, before purchase, that the consumer pays return costs if you want that to apply.
• Provide this in Portuguese alongside the model withdrawal form.
• Refund the original standard delivery cost within 14 days of a valid withdrawal.

Enforcement in Portugal involves the DGC and ASAE. National specifics can change, so treat this as a qualitative guide and confirm the current position with the relevant Portuguese authority before relying on it.

This article is educational, not legal advice.