All regulations / EU Consumers
EU consumer law
Know the rule before it knows you.
Your checkout, prices, reviews, subscriptions and cancellation buttons are all regulated.
What it is
EU consumer law sets what you must tell consumers before they buy, how prices and discounts may be displayed, how reviews and rankings must be handled, when consumers can withdraw, how digital content must conform, and which practices count as unfair or misleading. The Netherlands adds strict rules on silent renewal and active ACM enforcement.
This applies to you if
- You sell goods, digital content or subscriptions to consumers in the EU
- You run a marketplace, comparison site or app with in-app purchases
- You use discounts, urgency messages, personalised pricing or influencer marketing
What it asks of you
- Pre-contractual information and a 14-day withdrawal right with a clear cancellation route
- Prior-price rules for discounts; disclosure of personalised pricing and paid rankings
- Verification of reviews; no fake scarcity or dark patterns
- Monthly cancellation after silent renewal (Netherlands); conformity and update duties for digital products
What it costs to ignore
ACM fines up to 10% of annual turnover; for EU-wide infringements at least 4% of turnover in each state; collective actions by consumer organisations.
Key dates
Omnibus Directive applicable since 28 May 2022; ongoing ACM guidance on online influencing and subscriptions.
How we help
Not sure which apply to you? Send us three lines about what you sell and to whom, and we will tell you which rules matter and which do not.
Have a regulatory question?
Send a short description of your situation. We reply within one working day, usually with a view on scope and a fixed fee where possible.