E-Commerce

Ireland's main consumer law framework shifted in November 2022. The Consumer Rights Act 2022 consolidates what used to be scattered across the Sale of Goods Act 1893, the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, and various EU regulations. For B2C ecommerce it's now the first text to consult.

Four pillars matter for a website.

Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. The buyer has 30 days to reject for a refund in the first instance, then a right to repair or replacement for up to six years.

Digital content and services get their own chapter. A one-off digital download and a streaming subscription are treated differently. The trader must provide updates needed to keep the service compliant with the contract.

Unfair contract terms are tested against statutory grey lists and black lists. Automatic renewal clauses, unilateral price changes and excessive cancellation fees typically land on the grey list.

Fake or incentivised reviews are prohibited. The Consumer Protection Act 2007 as amended by the 2022 Act catches sites that publish customer reviews without verification steps.

The CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) enforces this regime. In 2024 and 2025 the CCPC issued guidance specifically on review authenticity and drip pricing.

The European Union (Consumer Information, Cancellation and Other Rights) Regulations 2013, known as SI 484/2013, transpose the Consumer Rights Directive. They were not repealed by the 2022 Act. They sit alongside it and cover the specific obligations that apply before a distance contract is concluded.

Three obligations that every Irish ecommerce site must meet at the checkout page.

Pre-contractual information. Identity of the trader, geographic address, contact details, total price including all taxes and delivery charges, arrangements for payment and delivery, the existence of the right of withdrawal. Missing any of these can extend the withdrawal period from 14 days to 12 months.

The confirm button. The final order button must be labelled in a way that makes clear the user is agreeing to pay. "Order with obligation to pay" or equivalent. A vague "Continue" or "Submit" is a breach.

The 14-day cooling-off period. Starts the day the consumer receives the goods. The model withdrawal form must be available on the site. Some categories are exempt, including custom-made goods and perishables, but the exemption must be genuine.

Failure to inform about the right of withdrawal is the single most common compliance breach in Irish ecommerce audits. Fixing it is a two-paragraph addition to the terms and conditions page.

The EU Omnibus Directive 2019/2161 transposed into Irish law in 2022 added three specific duties that target deceptive ecommerce practices.

Reference price for promotions. If you advertise "20% off" the reference price must be the lowest price charged during the 30 days before the promotion started. A product that was €100 for three months, bumped to €150 for one week, then sold at €120 as "20% off" fails the test. The CCPC has made this a visible enforcement priority.

Review authenticity. If you publish customer reviews you must state whether the reviews come from verified buyers, describe your verification method, and have a process to remove fake reviews. A site that accepts open reviews from anyone must say so. A site that claims "verified reviews" must actually verify.

Personalised pricing disclosure. If the price shown to a user is based on their profile, browsing history or similar signals, this must be disclosed before the purchase. Dynamic flight and hotel pricing is in scope.

These rules apply to any site selling to Irish consumers regardless of where the business is registered. An Irish drop-shipper selling from an EU warehouse is covered. A UK site with Irish customers is covered.

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