Do you sell goods, services or subscriptions to consumers through your website? And do your customers have the right to change their minds and cancel? Then, since 19 June 2026, there is one more thing your website has to handle: a withdrawal button.
It’s a function that lets the customer cancel a purchase directly on your website. Since 19 June it has been a legal requirement, and it reaches far more businesses than the big online retailers. It applies to web shops, subscription services, apps and booking flows, as long as the customer has a statutory right of withdrawal. Here’s what the requirement looks like, who it covers, and what to do if you’re not already compliant.
What the new law actually says
The requirement comes from an amendment to the Swedish Distance Contracts Act (distansavtalslagen, 2005:59). A new provision, Chapter 2, Section 10 a, states that any business must provide a function for exercising the right of withdrawal when a contract is concluded through an online interface — that is, a website or an app.
The Swedish Parliament passed the amendment on 11 March 2026 (Government Bill 2025/26:84, “Stronger consumer protection in distance contracts”), and it was enacted as SFS 2026:246. Behind it sits an EU directive, (EU) 2023/2673, designed to give consumers the same rights across the whole union. Just like the new transparency rules for AI chatbots, this is an EU-driven requirement that lands directly in your website.
One thing is important to understand: the law does not create a new right of withdrawal. The 14-day withdrawal period that already applies is unchanged. What’s new is how the customer can use that right — namely with a clear tool directly on the site, instead of hunting for an email address or filling in a form somewhere.
Who does it apply to?
Short answer: many businesses that sell to consumers online, but not all of them.
The requirement applies to distance contracts concluded through a website or app where the customer has a right of withdrawal. It makes no difference whether you sell physical goods, services, subscriptions or financial products. If the customer has the right to change their mind, the function has to be there.
So the deciding factor is whether a right of withdrawal exists. And here there are exceptions — the same ones as before. Custom-made goods, sealed goods that have been opened, services already performed with the customer’s express consent, and tickets to events on a specific date generally carry no right of withdrawal. If that’s all you sell, you’re not affected. But if even part of your range carries a right of withdrawal, the requirement applies to those products.
What does the function actually have to do?
The law is functional, not technical. It says what the function has to achieve, not exactly how to build it. But the requirements are concrete enough that a vague solution won’t pass.
The function must:
- be easily accessible in the online interface throughout the entire withdrawal period
- be clearly and legibly labelled, for example “Cancel your contract here” or “Exercise your right of withdrawal”
- let the customer enter or confirm their name and which contract it concerns, such as an order number
- let the customer choose in which electronic and durable form the confirmation of receipt should be sent
- let the customer expressly confirm that they are withdrawing from the contract
- send a confirmation of receipt to the customer without undue delay
So an ordinary “Contact us” button is not enough. The EU directive is clear that the function has to be labelled so there’s no mistaking what it’s for. A generic contact link doesn’t meet that.
The function may sit behind a login if the customer already has an account. But if the customer checked out as a guest, it should be usable without first forcing them to create an account. Otherwise it’s hard to argue the function is easily accessible.
Is there a transition period?
No, and this is where some businesses have been caught off guard.
The new rules apply to contracts concluded from 19 June 2026 onwards. Contracts you entered into before then follow the old rules. But for every new purchase from that date, the function has to be in place. There was no extra grace period to build it after the fact, and there isn’t one now either.
In other words: the requirement already applies. The question is no longer whether you’ll make it in time, but whether your website actually meets it today.
What might it cost to implement?
The inquiry behind the law (SOU 2025:34) judged the costs to be limited. It puts the initial cost of the simplest technical implementation at roughly SEK 20,000–50,000 — while noting in the same passage that a more technically advanced implementation means considerably higher costs.
But that figure is a starting point, not a verdict. The Swedish Better Regulation Council (Regelrådet), which reviewed the proposal, found this accounting insufficient and pointed out that the cost can be substantially higher than the stated minimum depending on how the website is set up. A simple standard solution on a common platform is one thing. An older, custom-built website, or a setup that has to handle guest checkout, automatic confirmations and logging of every request, is another.
What it lands at for you depends entirely on your platform and how you sell. That’s not something an article can answer, but it’s a short review worth doing if you don’t already have a solution in place.
What happens if you don’t have the function?
There are two separate risks if the function is missing or doesn’t meet the requirements.
The first is enforcement. A new provision, Chapter 2, Section 10 b, states that a business breaching the requirement is to be assessed under the Marketing Act (marknadsföringslagen, 2008:486), with the conduct deemed unfair. The Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) and the Consumer Ombudsman are the supervisory authority and can push through prohibitions or injunctions backed by a fine.
The second is that the withdrawal period can be extended. If the customer doesn’t get correct information about their right of withdrawal, or the withdrawal function doesn’t work as it should, the period can be extended by up to a year. That means customers could cancel purchases long after the usual 14 days.
What you should do now
Here’s the short version:
- Check whether you sell anything online that carries a right of withdrawal. If you do, you’re covered.
- Make sure there’s a clearly labelled withdrawal function on the website, not just a contact link.
- Make sure it works for guest purchases without a login.
- Make sure the customer gets a confirmation of receipt automatically.
- Add a line to your terms of purchase or your checkout noting that the function exists and where to find it.
There are ready-made plugins for common platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify, and for many websites they’re enough. But a plugin is only as good as it is installed and configured. On a custom-built website or an unusual setup, the solution needs to be built so that it genuinely meets the requirements, not just looks like it does. That’s the difference between having a button and actually complying with the law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a withdrawal button if I only sell services?
Yes, if the service is sold as a distance contract online and the customer has a right of withdrawal. The law doesn’t distinguish between goods and services. What matters is whether a right of withdrawal exists.
Is a “Contact us” button or an email address enough?
No. The function has to be clearly labelled for its specific purpose and let the customer submit their withdrawal directly, with a confirmation of receipt in return. A general contact route doesn’t meet the requirement.
Does the law apply to purchases I’ve already completed?
No. The rules apply to contracts concluded from 19 June 2026 onwards. Earlier contracts follow the old rules.
What counts as an online interface?
Your website or your app — the place where the customer actually completes the purchase. The function has to be there, in the same interface.
Does your website comply?
Since 19 June the requirement has applied to every new purchase. If you’re unsure whether your website meets the rules, it’s worth checking now rather than waiting until a customer points it out. We can look at your purchase flow, your terms and the technical solution, and pinpoint what needs to change. Get in touch and we’ll go through it together. Read more about how we work with custom development.