Consumer Rights
Consumer protections under Danish law — Købeloven, Forbrugeraftaleloven, defective goods, returns, unfair practices, and dispute resolution through Forbrugerklagenævnet.
Covered in this guide:
If a product you bought is defective, the Sale of Goods Act (Købeloven) gives you 2 years to demand repair, replacement, a price reduction, or refund — and defects within the first year are presumed to have existed at delivery. For online and off-premises purchases, the Consumer Contracts Act (Forbrugeraftaleloven) gives you a 14-day right of withdrawal. Misleading advertising and unfair terms are banned by the Marketing Practices Act (Markedsføringsloven), enforced by the Danish Consumer Ombudsman. Unresolved disputes go to the Consumer Complaints Board (Forbrugerklagenævnet).
Key Laws
Sale of Goods Act (Købeloven)
Consolidation Act No. 140 of 17 February 2014
Defective goods, 2-year complaint period, repair, replacement, refund
Consumer Contracts Act (Forbrugeraftaleloven)
Act No. 1457 of 17 December 2013
14-day withdrawal right, distance selling, pre-contractual information
Marketing Practices Act (Markedsforingsloven)
Act No. 426 of 3 May 2017
Unfair practices, misleading advertising, Consumer Ombudsman enforcement
Consumer Complaints Act (Forbrugerklageloven)
Act No. 524 of 29 April 2015
Consumer Complaints Board, sector boards, accessible dispute resolution
Defective Goods (Reklamationsret)
If you buy something that turns out to be defective, Danish law gives you strong protections:2-year complaint right (reklamationsret): You can complain about defects that were present at the time of p...
Right of Withdrawal (Online & Distance Sales)
When you buy online, by phone, or through door-to-door sales, you have a cooling-off period:14-day right of withdrawal (fortrydelsesret): You can cancel the purchase for any reason within 14 days of r...
Unfair Commercial Practices
The Marketing Practices Act protects consumers against misleading and aggressive business practices:Misleading advertising: Businesses must not provide false or deceptive information about products, p...
Consumer Complaints Board (Forbrugerklagenævnet)
The Forbrugerklagenævnet is an independent, government-backed body that resolves consumer disputes:Jurisdiction: Disputes between consumers and businesses over goods or services worth between approxim...
Warranties and Commercial Guarantees
Danish law distinguishes between your statutory rights and any commercial guarantee offered by the seller or manufacturer:Statutory complaint right (reklamationsret): Always 2 years from delivery — th...
Digital Content and Services
Since 2022, specific rules protect consumers who buy digital content and services:Conformity: Digital content (apps, software, streaming, e-books, cloud services) must be as described, fit for purpose...
Consumer Credit and Loans
Danish law imposes strict requirements on consumer lending:Creditworthiness assessment: Lenders must assess your ability to repay before granting credit — irresponsible lending is sanctionable.APR dis...
Scams and Fraud Protection
Danish law protects consumers against various types of fraud:Payment card fraud: If your card is used without authorisation, your liability is limited to DKK 375 for unauthorised transactions (if you...