Why medicines cannot be returned
Once a medicine leaves our pharmacy, we cannot guarantee it has been stored correctly, has not been tampered with, or remains safe to dispense to another patient. This applies to all prescription and non-prescription medicines without exception.
Returned medicines cannot be re-dispensed under UK law and must be disposed of as clinical waste. Accepting returns would serve no purpose and could present a risk to patient safety.
Legal basis
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, Schedule 3 — medicines are explicitly exempt from the 14-day right to cancel for distance sales
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 — govern the safe handling and disposal of returned medicines
- GPhC Standards for pharmacy professionals — prohibit the re-dispensing of any returned medicines
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 — your statutory rights for faulty or misdescribed goods remain fully unaffected
When we will help — exceptions
We take full responsibility for our own errors. If any of the following apply, please contact us within 48 hours of receiving your order and we will arrange a replacement or full refund:
We will offer a replacement or refund if
- You received the wrong item — a product that was not what you ordered
- Your order arrived damaged or physically compromised during delivery
- A product arrived with an expiry date already passed at the time of dispatch
- Your order did not arrive and has been confirmed lost by the courier
How to report an issue
Contact our team within 48 hours of receiving your order. Please include your order number, a brief description of the issue, and a photograph where applicable. We aim to respond within one working day.
Your statutory rights
Nothing in this policy affects your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If a product is faulty, not as described, or not fit for purpose, you are entitled to a remedy regardless of the nature of the product.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) at pharmacyregulation.org or, for NHS-related matters, NHS England.
This policy was last reviewed June 2026. The current version is always published at thekingstonpharmacy.com.