The EU Withdrawal Button in Italy

The right to cancel in Italy

You sell online to people in Italy. So you need to know how cancellation works there. The good news is that the rules are clear once you learn them. This guide keeps things simple.

In Italy, the right to cancel an online order is called diritto di recesso. That is the Italian term for the right of withdrawal. In plain words, it means a customer can change their mind and return what they bought.

These rules sit in a law called the Codice del Consumo, which means the Consumer Code. A public body watches over them. It is called the AGCM, the competition and consumer authority in Italy. They check that shops treat buyers fairly.

The 14 day rule explained simply

This is the main rule you must know. When someone buys from you online, they get 14 days to cancel. They do not need to give you a reason. They can just change their mind. That is allowed.

So when does the clock start? It depends on what you sell.

• For goods, the 14 days start on the day the customer gets the item. If an order comes in many parcels, the clock starts when the last parcel arrives.
• For a service, the 14 days start on the day the contract is made.

There is one more point to remember. If you do not tell the customer about their right to cancel, the 14 day window can stretch much longer. So always show this information clearly. It protects you too.

Some items cannot be returned this way. Think of made to order goods, sealed health items once opened, or food that goes off fast. If that applies to you, say so before the sale.

What changes in 2026: the new EU withdrawal button

Here is the big update. A new rule brings in a withdrawal button. This is an easy cancel button that customers can use online.

The key facts are simple:

• It comes from Directive (EU) 2023/2673.
• Each country had to put it into its own law by 19 December 2025.
• It applies from 19 June 2026.
• Cancelling online must be as easy as buying. No tricks, no hoops.
• There should be a short confirm step, so the customer knows the cancel went through.
• The customer should get a saved confirmation they can keep, like an email or a file.

One thing to be clear about. This button rule starts with distance financial services. That means things like online loans or insurance sold at a distance. So the button is not legally required for every product today.

But the wider 14 day right of withdrawal already covers most online sales of goods and services. That comes from the Consumer Rights Directive, 2011/83/EU. So even now, you must give buyers an easy way to cancel. The button is the direction things are going. Getting ready early is smart.

Use Italian for your button and messages

Your customers in Italy read Italian. So write to them in Italian. Your withdrawal button, your cancel messages, and your information about the right to cancel should all be in clear Italian.

This is not just polite. It helps people understand what they are doing. A buyer who understands the steps is a happy buyer. They are also less likely to complain to anyone later. So put the work in here.

If you only sell in English now, that is a gap. A short, clear Italian version of your key cancel text goes a long way.

What Italian shoppers expect

Shoppers in Italy are used to strong consumer rights. They expect a few basic things from any shop they trust.

• Clear information before they buy. The price, the delivery time, and the cancel right should be easy to find.
• An easy way to cancel. Not a hidden form. Not a phone line that never answers.
• Fast refunds. When they return something, they want their money back without a long wait.

Meet these three things and you will build trust. Trust brings repeat buyers. It also keeps you clear of disputes.

Steps to get your shop ready

Here is a practical list. Work through it in order.

• Write your cancel policy in plain Italian. Keep it short and honest.
• Show the 14 day right on your product pages and at checkout.
• Add a clear way to cancel. A simple form or button is best.
• Send an order confirmation that explains how to cancel.
• Set up a refund process that uses the same payment method the customer used.
• Plan to refund within 14 days once the conditions are met.
• List any items that cannot be returned, and say why.
• Keep a record of every cancel request and every refund.
• Watch for the withdrawal button rules and be ready to add the button when it fits your shop.

You do not have to do all of this in one day. Start at the top and work down.

Common mistakes to avoid

Some shops trip up in the same ways. Here are the ones to avoid.

• Hiding the cancel right deep in long terms. Buyers should find it fast.
• Making people call or wait to cancel. That breaks the easy access rule.
• Refunding to a gift card or store credit when the buyer wants their money back.
• Holding the refund too long after the conditions are met.
• Only writing your cancel text in English for Italian buyers.
• Forgetting to say which items cannot be returned.

Fix these now and you save yourself stress later.

Refunds in Italy

Refunds have their own rules, and they matter a lot to buyers. Here is how it works.

When a customer cancels in time, you must give their money back. You should refund using the same payment method they used to pay. So a card payment goes back to that card. You should not push store credit on them instead.

You must refund without undue delay. That means do not drag your feet. The outer limit is 14 days once the conditions are met. For returned goods, you can usually wait until you get the item back, or until the customer shows proof they sent it. Then the 14 day refund clock applies.

The refund should cover the price of the item. It also covers the basic delivery cost you charged at the start. The customer may have to pay the cost of sending the item back, but only if you told them this before they bought.

Keeping records and proof

Good records protect you. If a buyer says they were not treated fairly, your records tell the real story.

Keep proof of each cancel request. Save the date it came in. Save what the customer asked for. Then save the date you sent the refund and the amount.

• Save the cancel request, with its date and time.
• Save your reply to the customer.
• Save the refund date, the amount, and the method.
• Save the confirmation the customer received.

Store all of this somewhere safe and easy to search. If a question ever comes up, you can answer it in minutes.

Selling into Italy from another country

Maybe your shop is based outside Italy. That does not let you off the hook. If you aim your shop at Italian consumers, then Italian and EU consumer rules generally apply to those sales.

How do you know if you are aiming at Italy? Look at the signs. Do you show prices in euros? Do you offer an Italian language site? Do you ship to Italy and advertise to Italian buyers? If yes, you are targeting that market. So the same withdrawal and refund rules apply to you.

The simple takeaway is this. Where your business sits does not change the buyer's rights. Plan for the Italian rules and you will be fine.

Short recap

Let us pull it together.

• Italian buyers have the diritto di recesso, the right of withdrawal.
• The core rule is 14 days to cancel, with no reason needed.
• A new withdrawal button arrives from 19 June 2026, starting with distance financial services.
• Write your cancel button and messages in clear Italian.
• Refund to the same payment method, without undue delay, within 14 days once conditions are met.
• Keep records of every request and refund.
• If you sell to Italy from abroad, these rules still apply.

Learn these points and you can sell to Italy with confidence. Clear rules, happy buyers, fewer disputes. That is a good place to be.

The EU Withdrawal Button and PrestaShop in Italy

The EU Withdrawal Button is the clear, on site way for your customers to use their right of withdrawal, known in Italy as diritto di recesso. The same EU Consumer Rights apply whichever platform you sell on, so the goal is the same everywhere: make cancelling as easy as buying.

If you run a PrestaShop store that sells to Italy, you can meet these rules with a PrestaShop withdrawal button. A withdrawal button module for PrestaShop adds the button, the two step confirm, the saved receipt and the records you need for PrestaShop EU compliance. Read our PrestaShop withdrawal button guide for the steps, then use the compliance checklist to confirm you have covered everything for Italy.