Receipts, gift receipts and proof of purchase
Lost the receipt? It may not matter as much as the shop suggests. Here is what counts as proof of purchase, and when a receipt really is required.
Retail park purchases tend to be large, expensive and still around years later, which is exactly when you find yourself looking for a receipt you threw away. This short guide explains what the law requires, what shops can ask for, and how to keep proof of purchase without a drawer full of fading paper.
Is a receipt legally required?
No. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, your rights for faulty, misdescribed or unfit goods do not depend on keeping a receipt. What you do need is to show that you bought the item from that trader, and roughly when. A receipt is simply the most convenient way to do that.
Other forms of proof include:
- A bank or credit card statement showing the payment to that retailer.
- An order confirmation or digital receipt by email or in an app.
- A delivery note or installation paperwork.
- A record on a loyalty card or store account.
- A guarantee registration confirmation.
If you paid in cash and have no paperwork, it is harder, but not impossible: a shop may be able to find the transaction from the date, time and item.
When a receipt really matters
Shops can lawfully insist on a receipt for returns under their own goodwill policy, that is, when the item is not faulty and you have changed your mind. Because the shop does not have to offer change-of-mind returns at all, it can set conditions such as a receipt, unused condition and original packaging. Our guide to returning goods sets out the difference between those policies and your legal rights.
Receipts are also useful outside the shop. If you receive a parking charge at a retail park, timed receipts from the shops can help show what you were doing on site and when.
Gift receipts
A gift receipt shows the item but not the price. It lets the recipient return or exchange it under the shop's policy, usually for a credit note, gift card or exchange rather than a cash refund, since the money goes back to the buyer's payment method. A gift receipt is not a legal requirement; it is a goodwill feature.
If a gift is faulty, the legal position is less straightforward. Consumer law rights belong mainly to the person who bought the item, so a shop may want the buyer involved, especially for a refund. Many retailers will deal directly with the recipient for a repair or replacement. If you buy something expensive as a gift, give the recipient the gift receipt and keep the full receipt yourself.
Gift cards and credit notes
- Expiry dates: there is no legal minimum validity period for gift cards in the UK. Issuers set their own, so read the terms and use cards promptly.
- If a retailer goes into administration: gift cards and credit notes may not be honoured, or only for a limited time, and holders are usually unsecured creditors. That is a reason not to hold large balances for long periods.
- Credit notes issued under a goodwill policy follow the shop's terms. They should not be offered instead of a refund where you are legally entitled to one, for example when rejecting faulty goods within 30 days.
Keeping proof of purchase
Ask for a digital receipt
Many large retailers offer email receipts at the till. They do not fade, they are searchable, and they are a good habit for any big purchase.
Photograph paper receipts
Thermal paper receipts can fade within months. Take a photo on the day, and keep it in a folder named by product or year.
Keep the full set for big items
For furniture and appliances, keep the receipt, delivery note, any installation paperwork, warranty documents and the model and serial number. Together they cover most future disputes. See our guide to buying large appliances for what else is worth keeping.
How long to keep them
For low-value items, until you are sure they are fine. For large items, the length of any guarantee or warranty is a sensible minimum. Legal claims for faulty goods can be brought up to six years after purchase in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years after you became aware of the problem in Scotland, so keeping records for that long for expensive goods costs nothing and can help.
Paying in a way that protects you
How you pay can give you an extra route if a retailer refuses to help. Paying by credit card for an item costing more than £100 and up to £30,000 brings protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which can make the card provider jointly liable with the retailer. Debit card payments may be covered by the voluntary chargeback scheme. Neither replaces your rights against the retailer, but both are worth knowing about. For more on refunds and online orders, including click and collect, see our other guides.
Proof of purchase for guarantees and warranties
A manufacturer's guarantee is a promise the manufacturer chooses to give, and its own terms decide what proof it needs. Many ask for proof of the purchase date and some require you to register the product within a set time. Extended warranties bought separately normally need the warranty certificate and the original receipt. Because the terms vary, it is worth photographing the guarantee card and receipt together on the day of purchase and storing them with the model and serial number.
Note that a guarantee or warranty is in addition to your statutory rights. Losing the paperwork for a guarantee does not affect your rights against the retailer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.