Temu is an online marketplace operating in many countries. This is neutral consumer guidance, not a verdict on Temu or any seller. Temu publishes a separate Return and Refund Policy for each region, and the versions read on 17 October 2026 were those for the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia.
Temu’s pages, the law and a first move, side by side
| Situation | What Temu’s pages say | What the law says | First move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item differs from the listing or photos | Canada and Australia Purchase Protection pages: full refund if an item “isn’t as described”, possibly after sending it back. Most eligible items have a 90-day return window; some are shorter or excluded. | UK: goods from a trader must match their description (Consumer Rights Act 2015, s11). Ireland: sellers must remedy products not as described. Australia: “very different from the description” is a major problem. | “Return/Refund” under Your Orders, pick the reason, add photos. |
| Changed mind, nothing wrong | UK and Ireland: 14-day statutory right of withdrawal, then a voluntary window of up to 90 days. | UK: 14-day cooling-off for distance purchases (Citizens Advice). Canada: businesses need not accept non-defective returns (Office of Consumer Affairs). | Use Return/Refund inside the window. |
The legal position, country by country
- UK. Citizens Advice (England) lists goods that are “not what was advertised” among problems carrying legal rights. Consumer Rights Act sections 19 and 22 give a short-term right to reject within 30 days.
- Ireland. The CCPC says a fault arising within 30 days allows termination and a full refund, and that rights, strongest at purchase, last up to six years where a product might reasonably be expected to last that long.
- United States. The FTC advises reading a marketplace’s refund policy first, and disputing the card charge if the seller will not resolve the problem.
- Canada. The Office of Consumer Affairs says defective products can be repaired, replaced or refunded by the seller.
- Australia. The ACCC says an overseas business selling directly to consumers in Australia must follow the Australian Consumer Law, though recovery can be difficult in practice.
Reading the wording carefully
- Who the contract is with. Temu’s UK terms (11 January 2026) say the purchase contract is “concluded solely” between the buyer and the seller named on the product page, while Temu provides customer service on their behalf; Irish terms (23 September 2026) say the seller is liable for lack of conformity. In the UK, Citizens Advice says Section 75 usually does not apply to purchases through a third party such as a marketplace, though a card provider may be asked; see Section 75 and chargeback explained.
- Windows and exclusions. The UK and Irish pages allow only 45 or 60 days for certain electronic goods or large electrical appliances; the Canadian and Australian pages give most electronics 45, 60 or 90 days depending on the seller. Excluded items include sealed hygiene products and personalised goods (UK, Ireland), and worn or washed clothing, food and customised products among others (Canada, Australia).
- Platform windows versus statutory rights. The UK and Irish pages call the 90-day window voluntary and separate from the 14-day statutory right of withdrawal. The Canadian and Australian policies state that nothing in them limits statutory consumer guarantees, so a return window is not the expiry of legal rights and its exclusions are not exclusions from every remedy.
- Conditions. Post the return within 14 days of the request. The first return per order is free; later Canadian or Australian returns cost CA$9.00 or AU$9.00, deducted from the refund. Used or damaged items can reduce the refund.
What regulators have said
The European Commission’s coordinated-actions page says that in November 2024 the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network notified Temu of practices that, “according to the network’s assessment”, infringe EU consumer law, including incomplete and incorrect information about return and refund rights, and that the action is “currently ongoing”. On 28 May 2026 the Commission announced a €200 million fine under the Digital Services Act over its assessment of risks from illegal products. Neither page decides an individual order or states Temu’s response.
What to do first, in order
- Photograph the item, packaging and label, and screenshot the order page and listing.
- Open the order, choose Return/Refund (Ireland’s policy names its withdrawal option “Withdraw your order”), give the reason and attach photos. The Purchase Protection pages for Canada and Australia describe the same route.
- If the claim stalls, write to customer service through the Temu UK contact page. UK terms name Whaleco UK Limited, 5 Churchill Place, London E14 5HU; Irish terms name Whaleco Technology Limited, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.
- If fraud or exposed payment details are suspected, call the bank at once. For an ordinary order dispute, use Temu’s claim process first. The Temu pages read do not say how a card dispute affects a Temu claim, so ask Temu and the card provider first, and note both sets of deadlines. UK buyers: Section 75 may apply to an item costing more than £100 and up to £30,000, subject to its conditions; anywhere, ask about chargeback. US: the CFPB gives 60 days from the statement for a billing-error notice, which can cover a charge for something not received; the FTC treats quality complaints separately and says to try the seller first, so 60 days is not universal for them.
- Do not pay anyone offering to recover money, or follow links in unexpected messages claiming to be Temu. Fake goods: see counterfeit goods on online marketplaces.
Who to contact by country
UK: Citizens Advice consumer service, 0808 223 1133 (England and Wales). Ireland: the CCPC report-a-business form, which says it cannot engage with businesses on individual cases. US: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the state attorney general. Canada: the Competition Bureau complaint form. Australia: the ACCC report form, noting the ACCC does not resolve individual disputes, so a state consumer protection agency is the next step. The regulator’s own record: European Commission coordinated-actions page.
The bottom line
Temu’s pages offer a return route that is usually 90 days from purchase but shorter for some items and subject to exclusions, with statutory rights alongside it. A prompt claim in the order’s own Return/Refund flow, backed by photographs and the exact listing, is the strongest start.
Sources
- Temu | Return and Refund Policy (UK), Temu, last updated 31 August 2025 (temu.com)
- Return and Refund Policy (Ireland), Temu, last updated 18 June 2026 (temu.com)
- Return and Refund Policy (Canada), Temu, last updated 17 September 2026 (temu.com)
- Return and Refund Policy (Australia), Temu, last updated 17 September 2026 (temu.com)
- Temu Purchase Protection (Canada and Australia), Temu, undated pages read 17 October 2026 (temu.com)
- Terms of Use (UK), Temu, last updated 11 January 2026 (temu.com)
- Terms of Use (Ireland), Temu, last updated 23 September 2026 (temu.com)
- Market places and digital services, European Commission, undated page read 17 October 2026 (commission.europa.eu)
- Commission fines Temu €200 million for breaching the Digital Services Act, European Commission, 28 May 2026 (digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11, in force as at 17 October 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal, Citizens Advice (England), undated page read 17 October 2026 (citizensadvice.org.uk)
- Return faulty goods, Citizens Advice, undated page read 17 October 2026 (citizensadvice.org.uk)
- Changing your mind about something you’ve bought, Citizens Advice, undated page read 17 October 2026 (citizensadvice.org.uk)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 19 and 22, in force as at 16 October 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Buying From an Online Marketplace, FTC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (consumer.ftc.gov)
- Consumer rights and guarantees, ACCC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (accc.gov.au)
- The Complaint Roadmap, Office of Consumer Affairs (ISED), undated page read 17 October 2026 (ised-isde.canada.ca)
- Consumer rights, GOV.UK, undated page read 17 October 2026 (gov.uk)
- Problems with faulty products and goods, CCPC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (ccpc.ie)
- Repair, replace, refund, cancel, ACCC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (accc.gov.au)
- If a business won’t fix a problem, ACCC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (accc.gov.au)
- Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges, FTC, undated page read 17 October 2026 (consumer.ftc.gov)
- How can I get a refund on a product or service I purchased with my credit card?, CFPB, last reviewed 15 May 2024 (consumerfinance.gov)