New Distance Selling Act 2026: Guide to Rules and Requirements for E-commerce

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Here is the reminder list.

On Friday, the new regulations were rolled out. After months of preparation and warnings in the industry, the update to the Distance Selling Act came into force on June 19.

The change means that it is no longer permissible to refer customers to hidden email forms or printable PDF forms when they want to exercise their statutory right of withdrawal. From now on, all e-commerce companies selling physical goods to consumers must provide a fully integrated, digital cancellation function directly in their interface. Negligence in implementation can be costly for online stores, as the Consumer Agency has already begun its supervisory work based on reports from the public.

Below is a summary of the technical requirements and the economic rules of the game that apply from now on, as well as a guide to Ehandel.se's comprehensive articles on the subject.

In order for your online store to meet the new legal requirements, the right of withdrawal must follow the structure:

Two-Step Function in the Purchase Flow: The function must be located on the website or app where the purchase was completed, for example under "My Pages" or via an order search. The customer must first click on a clear button (e.g. "Cancel Purchase"), fill in their details and then confirm the choice via a second button.
Immediate Receipt: As soon as the customer has confirmed that they are cancelling the purchase, the system must automatically send a proof of receipt via a durable medium, such as email. This digital receipt must contain an exact timestamp and specification of what has been cancelled.
Shipping Costs Must Be Refunded: If a customer cancels an entire order via the cancellation button, you as an e-retailer are obliged to refund the original shipping costs to the customer.
Customer May Bear Return Shipping Costs: However, the law does not change who pays for the transport back to the warehouse. You can still require the customer to pay for return shipping, but this must be clearly specified in your terms of purchase in advance. If it is missing in the terms, the cost falls on the online store.
Penalty for Errors: If the cancellation button is missing or incorrectly designed, the customer's right of withdrawal is automatically extended from 14 days to 12 months and 14 days. Companies also risk administrative fines of up to four percent of turnover.

Our Comprehensive Coverage

Ehandel.se has reviewed the legal amendment from several different perspectives over the past few days. Here you will find all our articles on the subject:

The Cancellation Button – Everything You Need to Know

In the article: A basic overview of the new legal requirement originating from an EU directive. The article explains the two-step process, the Consumer Agency's upcoming supervision and the financial penalties for online stores that miss the deadline.

Industry Unprepared for the Cancellation Button – "Will Be a Lot of Money"

In the article: An operational analysis of how the law affects e-retailers' margins. Jennie Gerum, Marketing Manager at return platform Inretrn, shares data on return costs and warns of hidden pitfalls in logistics systems and the risk of overloaded customer service during the summer sale.

E-commerce Lawyer Explains – Return Forms Are Not Enough

In the article: An in-depth legal look at the most common misunderstandings. E-commerce lawyer Agnes Hammarstrand explains why old return forms do not meet the legal requirements and clarifies how the terms of purchase must be adapted so that retailers are not forced to pay for return shipping.

Today the New Return Law Applies – Boozt and Gymkompaniet Are Ready

In the article: A report from Midsummer's Eve when the law came into force. The article shows how two online stores in completely different product segments have prepared their systems and how they view the risk of changing consumer behavior.

Editorial Staff