In short. The only valid label for the withdrawal button is «withdraw from contract here» or an equivalent unambiguous wording, in the language of your national statute. «Start a return», «Manage order», «Contact us» or «Help» do not work and expose you to breaching Directive (EU) 2023/2673 from 19 June 2026.
The withdrawal button text looks like a minor detail, and it is exactly where most shops fail. You can have the button visible, permanent and without login, and still break the law by giving it the wrong label. Here we explain what text the law requires exactly, what the valid label is in each of the 7 EU languages you sell in, and why some «logical» labels get you into trouble.
What text does the law require exactly for the button?
The law requires the withdrawal function to be labelled «withdraw from contract here» or with an equivalent unambiguous wording, in an easily legible way. This is set out in Article 11a that Directive (EU) 2023/2673 adds to the consumer rights Directive 2011/83/EU. It is not a style recommendation: it is the text the law puts in quotation marks.
«Equivalent unambiguous wording» gives you a small margin, not total freedom. The label must refer unambiguously to withdrawal from the contract. «Terminate the contract», «Void the contract» or «Exercise withdrawal» may fit because they clearly point to the contract. What does not fit is any text that points to something else — the purchase, a commercial return, a support enquiry or a generic order management action —: that is why «Cancel the purchase» or «Withdraw from the purchase» do not work as a legal button, even if they sound similar.
There is a second text requirement that is almost always forgotten: the confirmation button. The law requires that, after the first declaration, the consumer confirms through a second function labelled legibly and unambiguously with «confirm withdrawal» or its unambiguous equivalent. We come back to this below, because it is a common source of silent non-compliance.
The valid label in each EU language
Here is the point that no English-language guide covers well: the label is not freely translated between languages. Each State that has already transposed the directive has fixed its own wording in its national statute, and that is the safe one. If you sell to consumers in several EU countries, you have to use the label from each customer's country.
| Language / country | Legal button label | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish (Spain) | «Desistir del contrato aquí» | TRLGDCU (RDLeg 1/2007) + Directive wording¹ |
| English (EU / IE) | "Withdraw from contract here" | Directive 2011/83/EU (Art. 11a)¹ |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | «Resolver o contrato aqui» | DL 24/2014 + Directive wording¹ |
| Catalan (Spain) | «Desistir del contracte aquí» | TRLGDCU (RDLeg 1/2007) + Directive wording¹ |
| Italian (Italy) | «recedere dal contratto qui» | D.Lgs. 209/2025, art. 54-bis Codice del Consumo |
| French (France) | «Renoncer au contrat ici» | Code de la consommation, art. L221-21 (Ord. 2026-2) |
| German (Germany) | „Vertrag widerrufen" | § 356a BGB (BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 28) |
Note two telling details. Germany dropped the «here»: its legal wording is simply „Vertrag widerrufen" («Withdraw from the contract»), not „Vertrag hier widerrufen". And France chose the verb «renoncer» (to renounce), not a carbon copy of the Spanish. That is why an automatic translation of «withdraw from contract here» is a risk: it can pull you away from the exact wording the national statute requires.
¹ Spain, Portugal and Ireland have not yet published their transposition of Directive (EU) 2023/2673. The obligation applies all the same on 19 June 2026: until the national statute is published, you use the Directive wording on the basis of the consumer law in force. When they publish their official text (BOE, Diário da República, Irish S.I.), verify the definitive label.
Labels that do NOT work (and why)
These are the labels that appear most in real shops and that do not comply. The problem is not cosmetic: each one blurs the legal withdrawal, and that is exactly what the directive wants to prevent.
| Label | Valid? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "Withdraw from contract here" | ✅ Yes | It is the literal wording of the statute |
| "Start a return" | ❌ No | Mixes the legal withdrawal with your commercial returns policy |
| "Withdraw from purchase" | ❌ No | Ambiguous: «purchase» is not «contract»; reserved, if anything, for the commercial flow |
| "Manage order" | ❌ No | Does not mention withdrawal; hides the right behind a generic action |
| "Contact us" | ❌ No | Adds friction and does not exercise withdrawal online |
| "Help / Support" | ❌ No | Not a withdrawal function at all |
The most frequent case — and the most dangerous because it seems reasonable — is «Start a return». Many shops think: «if the customer ends up returning the product to me anyway, what does the name matter?». It matters a lot, and for two reasons.
Why doesn't «Start a return» work if the customer returns anyway?
Because withdrawal and return are not the same thing, neither legally nor in practice. Withdrawal is a legal right: the consumer cancels the contract within 14 days without justification and is entitled to a full refund to the original payment method, including standard outbound shipping costs. Your returns, exchanges or store credit policy is a commercial decision of yours, with the conditions you set.
A label like «Start a return» pushes the customer towards your commercial flow — where you might offer a voucher instead of money, or charge them for reverse logistics — when what the law guarantees them is the full refund. That is precisely what Article 11a considers a barrier, and hiding or disguising withdrawal behind a commercial label is the definition of a dark pattern that the directive targets.
The solution is not to give up your commercial flow. It is to separate it: a clean legal button with the correct label («Withdraw from contract here»), and — if you want — a separate commercial route («Manage exchange or return») that never hides the refund. We develop this in the guide to the withdrawal button in Shopify and in the article on what Article 11a is and is not.
The second button also has a mandatory label
This is where many «almost correct» implementations fail. Withdrawal is a two-step flow: the customer declares and then confirms. The law requires that second function to be labelled legibly and unambiguously with «confirm withdrawal» or an equivalent unambiguous wording.
«Unambiguously» is the key word: the confirmation button should not carry added text that diverts it («Confirm and talk to support», «Confirm return and choose voucher»). Its only job is to close the withdrawal. If your second step just says «Send» or «Accept», you technically do not meet the text the law requires.
Remember that the two steps exist to avoid accidental clicks, not to create friction. A flow with two correct labels — «Withdraw from contract here» and «Confirm withdrawal» — meets both the letter and the spirit of the directive.
Quick checklist to validate your label
Before you sign off your button, check these six points:
- The text says «withdraw from contract» (or the national equivalent), not «return» or «order».
- You use the wording from the customer's country, not a free translation (check the language table above).
- The label is legible: sufficient size and contrast, without hiding it.
- The second step says «confirm withdrawal», with nothing added.
- You do not mix the legal button with your commercial flow of exchanges or vouchers.
- The label is fixed, not a free field that each employee fills in as they like.
Frequently asked questions
What text must the withdrawal button have? The label «withdraw from contract here» or an equivalent unambiguous wording, easily legible. Each language uses the wording from its national statute (France «Renoncer au contrat ici», Germany «Vertrag widerrufen»).
Does «Start a return» work? No. It mixes the legal withdrawal with your commercial returns policy. The label must refer unambiguously to withdrawal from the contract.
Does the confirmation button have mandatory text? Yes: «confirm withdrawal» or an unambiguous equivalent, and legibly and unambiguously. It is a separate requirement from the first button.
Can I translate the label literally into other languages? Not always. Each country that has transposed has fixed its own wording: Germany dropped the «here», France uses «renoncer». Use the one from the consumer's country.
Conclusion
If you run a Shopify shop that sells to the EU, the button text is one of the cheapest things to fix and one of the most expensive to get wrong if you neglect it. The first step is to set the correct label — «Withdraw from contract here» or its national wording — as fixed, non-editable text, and to separate the legal button from your commercial flow. With that you meet the letter of Article 11a; without it, an otherwise perfect button can still be non-compliant.
💡 Ready to comply effortlessly? returnEasier installs the withdrawal button with the correct fixed legal label in each of the EU's 7 languages, without you writing a single word. Try it free — 3 trial returns, no card.
Official sources
- Directive (EU) 2023/2673 — EUR-Lex
- Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights — EUR-Lex
- Consumer Rights Directive overview — European Commission
Informational content; not legal advice. For specific cases, consult a lawyer specialised in consumer law.