Refund policy

RETURN AND REFUND POLICY

Last updated: 22 July 2026

Overview

We want you to be happy with your order. This policy explains when you can return a product, how to do it, and when you'll get your money back.

Because we sell consumable food supplements, there are some products we cannot accept back once they have been opened. This is a health and hygiene requirement, and it is set out clearly below.

Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Our 30-day return window

You have 30 days from the day you receive your order to request a return.

This is longer than the 14 days the law requires, and we offer it because we'd rather you felt comfortable trying us.

What we can and cannot accept

✅ We accept returns of:

Products that are unopened, with the seal intact
In their original packaging, undamaged
With proof of purchase (your order number is enough)

❌ We cannot accept returns of:

Products that have been opened, or where the seal is broken
Products with damaged or missing packaging
Products past their best-before date at the point of return
Gift cards

Why we can't accept opened products. Under Regulation 28(3)(b) of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the right to cancel does not apply to sealed goods that are unsuitable for return for health protection or hygiene reasons, once unsealed. Food supplements fall into this category — once a pack has been opened we have no way of knowing how it has been stored or handled, and we cannot resell it or guarantee its safety to anyone else.

This does not apply if something is wrong with the product. If your order is faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described, see the section below — your rights are different and stronger.

Sale items

Sale and discounted items can be returned on exactly the same terms as full-price items. Your statutory rights are not reduced because you paid less.

How to start a return

Email support@shopareola.com within 30 days of receiving your order
Include your order number and which items you'd like to return
We'll confirm your return and give you the return address and instructions

Please do not send anything back before contacting us. Items returned without a confirmed return request may not be accepted or refunded.

Once your return is approved, please send the items back to us within 14 days.

Who pays for return postage

For changes of mind, you pay. You are responsible for the cost of returning unwanted items to us. We do not provide free return labels.

We strongly recommend using a tracked service and keeping your proof of postage — the goods remain your responsibility until they reach us, and we cannot refund items that don't arrive.

For faulty, damaged or incorrect items, we pay. See below.

Faulty, damaged or incorrect items

Please check your order when it arrives and contact us as soon as reasonably possible if anything is wrong.

Contact support@shopareola.com with your order number and, where you can, a photograph of the problem.

If a product is faulty, damaged in transit, not what you ordered, not as described, or has insufficient shelf life remaining, you have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Depending on the circumstances, this may include a replacement, a refund, or a price reduction.

In these cases we cover the cost of return, and the "unopened only" rule does not apply — you are entitled to a remedy whether or not the pack has been opened.

Damaged in transit

Your order is our responsibility until it is delivered to you. If a parcel is lost or damaged before it reaches you, contact us and we will resend it or refund you in full. You do not need to claim against the carrier.

Exchanges

We don't operate a direct exchange process. The quickest way to get a different product is to return the unwanted item for a refund and place a new order — that way you're not waiting for the return to reach us before your replacement is dispatched.

Your right to cancel (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013)

If you are a consumer in the UK or the EU, you have a statutory right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving it, without giving any reason.

Our 30-day window is more generous than this and applies instead — but your statutory rights sit underneath it and cannot be taken away.

To cancel, email support@shopareola.com with your order number. You may use the model cancellation form set out in the Regulations, but you don't have to.

The sealed goods exemption applies: the statutory right to cancel does not extend to sealed products that have been opened, for the health and hygiene reasons explained above.

Refunds

Once we receive and inspect your return, we'll email to let you know whether it's been approved.

If approved:

We refund the price you paid for the goods
We also refund the standard delivery charge you paid on the original order. If you chose a faster or more expensive delivery option, we refund the standard rate only
Refunds are issued to your original payment method
We process refunds within 14 days of receiving the goods back, or of receiving proof that you've sent them, whichever is earlier

Please allow additional time for your bank or card provider to post the refund to your account — this is outside our control and typically takes a few working days.

If more than 14 working days have passed since we confirmed your refund was approved and you still haven't received it, contact us at support@shopareola.com.

Deductions from refunds

We may reduce your refund to reflect any reduction in the value of the goods caused by handling them beyond what is necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning.

In practice this means: opening a sealed pack goes beyond that, which is why opened products aren't returnable. Handling the outer packaging to look at it does not.

Complaints

If you're unhappy with how we've handled a return or refund, please contact support@shopareola.com. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 3 working days and resolve them within 14 days.

If we can't resolve things between us, you may be able to refer the matter to an Alternative Dispute Resolution provider. Details of approved providers are available from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

Contact

Areola Ltd Registered in England and Wales Company number: 17357240 Registered office: Unit A, 82 James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE Email: support@shopareola.com

This Return and Refund Policy forms part of our Terms of Service. Please also see our Shipping Policy.