Buying shoes in the UK

This page is about buying shoes in the UK. It covers what a shoe label must show, how shoe sizes work, faulty shoes, buying shoes online, and children's first shoes.

This site does not sell shoes or anything else.

What a shoe label must show

In Great Britain, shoes sold to consumers must carry a label saying what they are made of. The label covers three parts of the shoe. These are the upper, the lining and sock, and the outer sole. The rule does not cover second-hand worn shoes, toy footwear or protective footwear.

For each part, the label must name the material that makes up at least 80% of it. Where no one material reaches 80%, it must give the two main materials.

The label uses four words for materials, or a symbol for each. The words are Leather, Coated leather, Textile and Other materials. Any written words must be in English. The same regulations define what may be called leather and coated leather.

The label must be on at least one shoe in each pair, where you can see it. Trading standards guidance says it may also appear on the packaging, but it must be on the shoe itself.

A shop that uses the symbols must put up a notice explaining them, where customers can see it. A seller online or by post must tell customers what the symbols mean.

Shoe sizes

Shoes are sized in three main systems. These are UK sizes, European sizes and Mondopoint, which gives the length of the foot in millimetres. The British Standards Institution (BSI) says shoe sizes can be quite confusing.

An international standard gives tables for converting between the three, based on foot length. Its authors call the tables a guideline. They say the systems grew up over many years without ever being formalised.

BSI says online and mail-order customers are commonly encouraged to measure their foot length as a guide to size. Measure the foot in millimetres, and compare it with the seller's own size chart.

Faulty shoes

When you buy shoes from a business, they must be of satisfactory quality. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, quality can include durability and freedom from minor defects.

If shoes are faulty, you have 30 days to reject them for a refund. The 30 days start after you own the shoes and they have been delivered.

The law treats a fault that shows within six months of delivery as there from the start. That applies when you ask for a repair or replacement, or later reject the shoes. It does not apply if the seller shows the shoes were fine when they arrived, or where the rule does not fit the shoes or the kind of fault.

Citizens Advice says you have no legal rights if the damage came from wear and tear, an accident or misuse. The same goes if you knew about the fault before you bought the shoes.

Buying shoes online

Citizens Advice says you automatically get a 14-day cooling-off period when you buy something you have not seen in person. The 14 days run from the day after the shoes reach you.

That right does not cover shoes that are bespoke, made to measure or personalised for you. Citizens Advice says it does not cover anything bought from a private individual either.

If you handle the shoes beyond what a shop would reasonably allow, the seller may claim back the loss in value. Citizens Advice says your rights might be different if you buy from abroad.

In a shop, you have no automatic right to your money back if you change your mind and nothing is wrong with the shoes. Citizens Advice says it is down to the seller whether they offer you anything.

Children's first shoes

The NHS says children's feet grow very fast under the age of 5. If tight shoes or socks cramp a baby's toes, they cannot straighten out and grow properly.

It says a child will not need proper shoes until they are walking on their own. Even then, shoes can be kept for walking outside only, at least at first.

The NHS says shoes with laces, a buckle or a velcro fastening are good, because they hold the heel in place. If the heel of a shoe slips off when your child stands on tiptoe, the shoe is too big.

If possible, it suggests shoes made from natural materials such as leather, cotton or canvas, which let air circulate.

If your child appears to have flat feet, the NHS says not to worry. If an arch forms when your child stands on tiptoe, it says no treatment will normally be needed, and that flat feet usually correct themselves by the age of 6. The NHS page on flat feet says to see a GP if they are painful, stiff, weak or numb.

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