The Mandatory “Withdrawal Button” for Webshops from 2026 — Development and Terms & Conditions To-Dos - SHOPMESTER BLOG

On 19 June 2026 a consumer-protection change took effect that affects every EU-based webshop selling to private individuals (consumers). In one sentence: the 14-day right of withdrawal must now also be exercisable through a clearly visible, easily accessible “withdrawal button” on the webshop interface, with just a few clicks. In this article we cover exactly what changed, who it applies to, and what development and Terms & Conditions to-dos the webshop owner has.

Important: this article is general information and does not constitute legal advice. For the precise wording of your Terms & Conditions, we recommend involving a lawyer.

What changed on 19 June 2026?

The background

For distance contracts, private buyers (consumers) are entitled to a 14-day right of withdrawal without giving any reason. Until now, the consumer could typically exercise this on paper, by post or by email — for example by filling in and submitting a downloadable model withdrawal form.

The new element: the “withdrawal button”

From 19 June 2026 this is no longer enough. In line with the EU legislation — Directive (EU) 2023/2673 — every EU-based webshop must ensure that the consumer can also withdraw from the contract directly on the webshop interface, by clicking a dedicated “withdrawal button”. In Hungary this is prescribed by the provisions on the withdrawal function of Government Decree 45/2014 (II. 26.) on the detailed rules of contracts between consumers and businesses (hereinafter: the Decree), Section 22.

Who does it apply to — and who not?

The obligation covers every webshop where both of the following are true:

an online order is placed with a payment obligation, and
the buyer is a private individual, i.e. qualifies as a consumer (not a company or business).

The rule is mandatory in every EU Member State, so it also applies to Hungarian webshops that sell into other EU countries.

It does not, however, extend to contracts where the consumer has no statutory right of withdrawal in the first place — for example goods made to the consumer’s custom specifications (personalised products), perishable goods, or sealed products that cannot be returned after opening for health-protection or hygiene reasons. It likewise does not apply to purely business-to-business (B2B) sales.

How must the withdrawal button work?

The legislation prescribes not only that there must be a button, but also how it must work. The process is two-step:

Initiating the withdrawal: the consumer activates a clearly visible, unambiguous function. The button text is “withdraw from contract” (or an unambiguously equivalent wording).
Confirmation: the consumer then provides or confirms the necessary data — their name, the details identifying the order concerned, and the contact point at which they will receive the withdrawal confirmation — and finalises the statement with a button labelled “confirm withdrawal”.

After confirmation, the webshop must send an automatic acknowledgement on a durable medium (typically by email) containing the content of the withdrawal statement and the exact time of receipt (date and time).

How long must the button remain available?

The withdrawal function must be continuously available from the moment of the order (or the receipt of the product) throughout the entire duration of the right of withdrawal, prominently displayed and easily accessible to the consumer. It may not be hidden, nor placed behind an unreasonably complicated process — the legislator’s express goal is that the consumer can withdraw from the contract just as easily as they placed the order.

Development to-dos on the webshop interface

Place the “withdraw from contract” function in a prominent, easily accessible location — for example on the “My orders” / account page, and make it reachable from the footer or an informational popup.
Build the two-step process: initiation → entering/confirming the data → “confirm withdrawal”.
Wire up the automatic email acknowledgement that records and returns the content of the statement and the time of receipt.
It is advisable to log incoming withdrawal requests in the admin interface as well, so they are searchable, manageable and can be processed on time.
Ensure the function only appears for orders where the right of withdrawal applies, and is handled appropriately for the exempt product categories.

Terms & Conditions and legal to-dos

The withdrawal section of your Terms & Conditions must be updated: it must state the existence, operation and availability of the online withdrawal function.
The consumer must be properly informed — either in a popup window or in the relevant point of the Terms & Conditions (ideally in both places).
It is worth aligning this information with the other change effective from 1 January 2026, under which the consumer must be informed in advance that they are liable for any diminished value resulting from handling the product beyond what is necessary to establish its nature, characteristics and functioning.
For precise, legally compliant wording of the Terms & Conditions, we recommend involving a lawyer.

What happens if a webshop is non-compliant?

Failing to comply is risky on several fronts. On the one hand it carries the risk of consumer-protection proceedings and fines. On the other hand — and this hurts commercially too — if the webshop does not properly ensure the exercise of the right of withdrawal and the information about it, the consumer’s withdrawal deadline can be significantly extended, potentially by many months. In other words, because of a missing or faulty withdrawal function, customers may withdraw from the purchase well beyond the usual 14 days, which represents a direct financial and logistical risk.

Summary

The “withdrawal button” is not a formal tick on a compliance checklist but, since 19 June 2026, a mandatory function of every EU webshop that also sells to consumers. Compliance requires two things in parallel: a well-functioning, two-step withdrawal function with automatic acknowledgement on the webshop interface, and appropriate, up-to-date information in the Terms & Conditions.

If you would like to make your webshop compliant, we can help: you can start the implementation of the withdrawal function via our custom development form, and request a full compliance review via our consulting and audit form — or simply request a quote.

Relevant legislation: Government Decree 45/2014 (II. 26.) on the detailed rules of contracts between consumers and businesses, Section 22; the EU background is Directive (EU) 2023/2673. This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.