Egypt's Consumer Protection Law and Online Stores: What Your Store Must Show

Egypt's Consumer Protection Law No. 181 of 2018 applies to online stores just as it applies to shops. In practice, your store must show who you are and how to reach you, describe products clearly in Arabic, display final prices that already include VAT and all charges, publish a return policy that respects the consumer's 14-day withdrawal right for distance purchases, and issue proper invoices. Since the data protection law's grace period ends on 1 November 2026, you also need an Arabic privacy notice and valid consent for the personal data you collect.

Many Egyptian stores, especially those that grew from Instagram or Facebook pages, still run with "no returns" rules, prices shown "plus VAT", English-only terms and shipping fees that appear only at the last step. These are not just conversion problems; they can conflict with the law and weaken your position in any dispute.

This guide explains, in plain language, what the law and its executive regulations require from an online store, and turns it into a checklist for your product pages, checkout, invoices and policies.

Key takeaways

• Law 181/2018 and its executive regulations (published April 2019) cover distance selling, including online stores and social commerce.
• Consumers buying at a distance can withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons; defective or non-conforming goods can be returned within 30 days.
• Displayed prices must be final, including VAT, fees and any other charges.
• Seller identity, product information and a clear return policy must be available before the customer orders, and consumer-facing documents must be in Arabic.
• The Personal Data Protection Law adds its own obligations for stores, with a compliance deadline of 1 November 2026.

Which laws apply to an online store in Egypt?

• Consumer Protection Law No. 181 of 2018, issued in September 2018, with executive regulations published on 2 April 2019. It includes specific rules for remote (distance) contracts.
• Personal Data Protection Law No. 151 of 2020, whose executive regulations were issued in November 2025 with a one-year compliance period ending on 1 November 2026 (CMS, 2026).
• Tax laws: the Egyptian Tax Authority treats online and traditional commerce the same, so online sellers must register and file. See our guide on online sellers, tax and e-receipts.
• Electronic Signature Law No. 15 of 2004, relevant to electronic contracts and signatures.

The Consumer Protection Agency is the regulator that receives consumer complaints and enforces Law 181/2018.

What your online store must show: a checklist

Element	Where on the store	Why
Seller identity: legal name, address, commercial registration, tax number, phone and email	Footer, "About" or legal page, invoices	Suppliers must disclose their identity before a distance contract is concluded.
Product information: specifications, materials, sizes, origin, warranty	Product page, in Arabic	Product information must be provided before the contract; consumer documents must be in Arabic.
Final price including VAT and all charges	Product page and cart	Displayed prices must be the total, final price.
Shipping fees and delivery time	Product page or cart, before checkout	Part of the total cost the consumer must know.
Return, exchange and withdrawal policy	Dedicated page, linked at checkout	The 14-day withdrawal and 30-day defect rules must be respected.
Invoice with the required details	Order email and parcel	The regulations list what an invoice must contain.
Privacy notice in Arabic and consent choices	Footer, checkout, account sign-up	Required under the data protection law's regulations.

The 14-day withdrawal right and returns

Withdrawal for distance purchases

According to Shalakany Law Office's summary of the executive regulations, consumers can withdraw from remote contracts within 14 days without needing to state any reasons, and can amend their orders within seven working days from the date of acceptance (Shalakany). Riad & Riad's analysis adds that, for online purchases, the 14 days run from receipt of the product (Riad & Riad). The same analysis notes the general conditions for returns: the product should be in its original condition and the receipt available.

Defective or non-conforming goods

If a product is defective or does not match what was agreed, the return window is 30 days. For durable goods, Riad & Riad reports a warranty against manufacturing defects of at least two years from receipt.

Exclusions

The distance-selling provisions do not apply to financial and banking services, online plane ticketing and accommodation bookings. Other product-specific conditions may apply, so check your category with a lawyer before writing exceptions into your policy.

Turning the rules into a return process

1. Publish the policy in clear Arabic (and English if you sell to non-Arabic speakers), with the 14-day and 30-day periods stated plainly.
2. Let customers request a return from their account or a simple form, with order number and reason.
3. Arrange collection through your courier and record the return shipment against the order.
4. Inspect the item, update stock, and process the refund or exchange through the original payment method or an agreed alternative.
5. Keep a record of every request and outcome; it is your evidence if a complaint reaches the Consumer Protection Agency.

Who pays return shipping and how quickly refunds must be made are points where you should take legal advice for your category and state your policy clearly.

Prices, discounts and advertising

Show one final price. "EGP 1,200 + VAT" or a service charge that appears only at checkout conflicts with the requirement that displayed prices include VAT, fees and any other charges. For promotions:

• A "was" price should be a price you actually charged, not an inflated reference.
• State the start and end date of time-limited offers and any conditions.
• Make sure ads on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok match the price and terms on the store.
• Write advertising and product data in Arabic; Riad & Riad's analysis lists adverts, product data, invoices, receipts and contracts among documents that must use Arabic.

Invoices and order documents

The executive regulations require invoices to include product lifetimes where relevant, warranty periods for products covered by warranty, the periods for returns and replacement, how to contact the Consumer Protection Agency, and the total price. Build these fields into your invoice template so every order produces a compliant document automatically, in Arabic. Riad & Riad's analysis reports that failing to issue invoices can lead to fines from EGP 30,000 up to EGP 1,000,000 or double the value of the disputed product, whichever is greater; confirm current penalty levels with your lawyer.

If your business is included in the Egyptian Tax Authority's e-receipt system, the tax receipt is a separate obligation that your system must also meet, usually through integration between the store and an ERP or accounting system.

Data protection: the second law your store must follow

An online store collects names, phone numbers, addresses and order history, all personal data under Law 151/2020. According to published analyses of the executive regulations, privacy notices must be concise, visible and in Arabic, consent must be explicit, informed and specific, and data breaches must be notified to the regulator within 72 hours. For stores, this means:

• An Arabic privacy notice linked at sign-up and checkout.
• Separate, unticked consent for marketing messages by SMS, email or WhatsApp.
• Access controls so only authorised staff see customer data, and passwords stored with salted hashing, never in plain text.
• A plan for responding to a data breach within the required time.

Building compliance into the store itself

Compliance is easier when the software enforces it instead of relying on staff memory:

• Product templates with required Arabic fields (specifications, warranty, origin) that must be filled before publishing.
• Prices stored and displayed VAT-inclusive, with shipping calculated in the cart.
• A checkout summary showing the total, delivery time and a link to the return policy before the order button.
• Automatic order confirmation and invoices in Arabic.
• A returns module that tracks deadlines (14 and 30 days) and outcomes.
• Audit logs for price changes and refunds.

Common mistakes in Egyptian online stores

• "No returns or exchanges" printed on the product page or invoice.
• Prices shown excluding VAT, or delivery fees revealed only after the customer enters an address.
• Terms and policies written only in English.
• No company name or address anywhere on the site, only a WhatsApp number.
• Pre-ticked boxes for marketing consent.
• Selling through Instagram DMs with no written terms or invoice.

How Nilex helps

Nilex builds online stores with these requirements designed in: Arabic-first product templates, VAT-inclusive pricing, checkout summaries with policy links, automatic Arabic invoices, a returns module with deadline tracking, consent management and secure handling of customer data. We work with your legal adviser on the policy wording and make sure the software applies it consistently.

Frequently asked questions

What is the return period for online purchases in Egypt?

Under Law 181/2018 and its executive regulations, consumers buying at a distance can withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons, and defective or non-conforming goods can be returned within 30 days. Conditions and exceptions apply.

Can my online store have a "no returns" policy?

A blanket "no returns" policy conflicts with the consumer's legal withdrawal and return rights. You can set reasonable conditions, such as original condition and proof of purchase, but take legal advice before excluding any product category.

Do prices on my store have to include VAT?

Yes. The executive regulations require displayed prices to be total and final, including VAT, fees and any other charges. Show shipping costs before checkout as well.

Does my online store need to be in Arabic?

Consumer-facing information, invoices and contracts must be in Arabic under the consumer protection law, and the data protection regulations require Arabic privacy notices. You can offer English alongside Arabic.

Does the consumer protection law apply to Instagram and Facebook sellers?

In general, yes. The distance-contract rules concern how the sale is made (without the buyer and seller meeting), not the platform used. A seller taking orders through social media should expect the same obligations on information, prices, returns and invoices; confirm the specifics for your business with a lawyer.

If you want your store's pages, checkout and policies reviewed against these requirements, book a free consultation with Nilex and we will show you what to change in the system.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the details that apply to your company with a specialist.