What can I do about unwanted subscriptions?
The European Consumer Centre (ECC) has recently been indundated by complaints about Danish online cosmetics company Falinas, with consumers explaining that they were under the impression that they had bought a product from Falinas on a one-off basis. In retrospect, they discovered that they had unwittingly taken out a bi-weekly subscription. Some of these consumers asked the ECC whether this was allowed.
Business owners can offer online subscriptions or memberships, provided they comply with several rules:
- Important information must never be hidden in fine print.
If the service being sold is a subscription or membership, this should be made clear to consumers. Information about the cooling-off period, price, duration and canceling the subscription should be in a logical place and should be worded clearly and intelligibly. - If clicking on the order button automatically means that you agree to a subscription, the business owner should clearly point this out to you.
You should not have to opt out of giving consent, and even if you have to tick the consent box yourself, there are rules. For example, the request for consent should not be hidden between other lines of text.
What can I do if I have inadvertently taken out a subscription?
If you think that the seller did not adequately inform you about the subscription or membership and that you did not clearly consent to paying, contact the seller in writing as soon as possible.
- Within 14 days
If you made the order online in the past 14 days, you are still entitled to your 14-day cooling-off period, which means you can cancel your purchase. You do not need to offer an explanation. You can find a template letter on our website. - After 14 days
If the cooling-off period has already passed, let the seller know that you wish to void the contract, specifying that the seller failed to provide important information and that you never gave your explicit consent. If possible, make sure to indicate which information you did not receive and request a refund of the subscription or membership fee. - Credit card
If you paid with a credit card, we recommend that you contact your credit card company. You may be able to get your money back through a 'chargeback procedure'.
Next steps
If a company fails to respond or if you can’t find a solution together, you can always contact the European Consumer Centre for complaints about companies in other EU countries. Read more about how ECC mediation works.
ECC Netherlands has reached out to ECC Denmark about Falinas, and our Danish colleagues have reported receiving complaints about this company from several countries. The Danish Ombudsman is aware of the situation, but no further details have emerged about a potential investigation.